'Opposition used army for political purposes': Union Minister JP Nadda

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): Addressing the Kargil Vijay Rajat Samaroh on the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Friday accused the opposition of using the army for their political purposes without giving anything in return.
Launching a scathing attack on the opposition, JP Nadda said, "I also want to say that some people use the army for politics and don't give them anything. Few people do politics and as I am also a member of a political party, I want to highlight One Rank, One Pension (OROP). Army personnel have been demanding it since 1971, but they didn't bring it. They said they would bring OROP by putting 500 crore rupees in the budget. When Modi Ji came into government for the first time in 2014, he brought the One Rank One Pension scheme."
He further alleged that during the Congress-led UPA regime, soldiers didn't have the liberty to counterattack Pakistan, but this changed when PM Modi came into power in 2014.
Nadda stated, "Earlier, when I used to visit Jammu and Kashmir, soldiers under Pakistani attack used to tell me that they didn't have the liberty to counterattack; they didn't have permission from Delhi. When PM Modi came to power, he gave them the liberty to counterattack, and that's why now, in Jammu and Kashmir, the life of any declared terrorist is not more than one and a half weeks."
Alleging corruption in arms deals under the opposition, Nadda said, "Earlier, the Defence Minister of India used to say we don't make roads on the border to stop China from infiltrating India. Today, we hear about crashing MiG planes because they had become obsolete, and the focus was on scams first and soldiers later."
Nadda also praised the BJP for dedicatedly celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas, noting that every district office of the BJP is always involved in the celebration.
JP Nadda said, "BJP, as always, is celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas not only at the national office but at each district level office as well, standing with the nation's army and its people. This day is important because we are celebrating the silver jubilee of Kargil Vijay Diwas. It wasn't a normal victory; it was a victory of India's pride and self-respect. Our soldiers fought in difficult conditions yet hoisted the Tiranga at the war site."
Specifying the war details, he said, "It is very important for us to remember what kind of war it was. I remember seeing a soldier's martyrdom almost every day. Everyone knows that we don't start wars, but we do retaliate when provoked."
"I come from Himachal Pradesh. From every house, there is a soldier. Then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji said that a soldier doesn't belong to a family, village, or city but to the country, and the whole nation is standing with them. Since then, it has been established that the mortal remains will not go to their houses but will be honoured by the nation," he added.
Furthermore, he praised the Modi government, saying, "Our government is committed to the safety and security of our country."
Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid tribute to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during the 1999 Kargil War. The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Ladakh, on the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates the success of Operation Vijay in 1999. During this conflict, Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists. (ANI)