Srinagar: As India marks 24th year of winning Kargil region during the India-Pakistan War over Kashmir in 1999, the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India is ready to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to maintain its honour and dignity, and called upon civilians to be ready to support the military in such a situation.
"We can go to any extreme to maintain the honour and dignity of the country — if that includes crossing the LoC, we are ready to do that — if we are instigated and if the need arises, we will cross the LoC," he said.
"Whenever there has been a war situation, our public has always supported the forces but that support has been indirect. I urge the public to be ready and mentally prepared to support the soldiers directly on the battlefield if the need arises," he added.
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Many of the Jawans who fought in the Kargil war were newly married, about to get married or were the sole breadwinners of their families. But they did not think about their lives and put them on the line, Singh said.
"I salute our brave sons who put the country first and sacrificed their lives. Their sacrifices have not gone waste, their contribution will continue to inspire generations," he added.
