Lipulekh road to boost Indo-Nepal ties: Rajnath
DEHRADUN: A road built at Lipulekh in Dharchula area of Pithoragarh district will help bring India and Nepal closer, defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Pauri Garhwal district on Friday.
Singh made the statement while addressing a gathering during the event of unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali in Pauri Garhwal district. Garhwali is famously known as the Hero of Peshawar incident after he refused to open fire at a pro-independence rally being held by Frontier Gandhi Khan Abdul Gaffar Gandhi in Peshawar against the British while being a soldier in the erstwhile British Indian army.
He was then terminated from the service following which he then prominently took part in the independence struggle. “The Lipulekh road will make the highly revered Mansarovar Yatra somewhat easy for the pilgrims. It is not only important from a strategic and financial point of view but will also help in bringing India and Nepal closer. Nepal is not only a friend of India but also has family relations with us,” said Singh.
The Lipulekh link road which was inaugurated by Singh in May last year, resulted in border tensions between the two nations after Nepal accused India of building the road in its territory. Its parliament had later also introduced a new map of Nepal showing Lipulekh in its own territory.
Citing the strategic importance of Lipulekh road, Singh also said being a border state, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is also constructing 1,000km long roads in Uttarakhand. “Once the construction is completed, the country will be benefitted both strategically and security-wise,” said Singh.
Hailing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “Under his leadership, the government is working on mission mode. India has always been as an admirer of peace but now it has also become an admirer of development under
Modi.”
During his address in the presence of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt and other dignitaries, Singh also spoke on the border tensions with China in Ladakh.
Singh said: “During the Galwan valley clash, our jawans fought valiantly and didn’t give an inch of land. They are standing at the borders braving all odds to protect the country.” Earlier while unveiling the statue of Garhwali, he hailed him as a “true soldier.”
“He was not only a true soldier but also a prominent freedom fighter who actively participated in Angrezon Bharat Chodo movement. He comes from the land of Uttarakhand. But we should also remember that it is also Veerbhoomi (land of braves),” said Singh.
Besides, he commended Dhami for his “good works.” “Speaking in cricketing language, Dhami has been sent to bat in the last over in a 20-20 match. But with the kind of talented batsman, he is, he will bat commendably,” said Singh.