#KargilVijayDivas : President, Prime Minister and Parliament pay homage to Kargil Martyrs

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Nirendra Dev

Both the Houses of Parliament on Monday (July 26) paid rich tributes to Kargil war Martyrs on Kargil Vijay Diwas and congratulated Manipur weightlifter Mirabai Chanu for winning Silver in Tokyo Olympics.

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind, the commander-in-chief of Indian armed forces, on the important national day, laid a wreath at the Dagger War Memorial, Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir, to pay "tributes to all soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending the nation."

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote: "We remember their sacrifices. We remember their valour. Today, on Kargil Vijay Diwas we pay homage to all those who lost their lives in Kargil protecting our nation. Their bravery motivates us every single day."

In Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla read out a brief message as soon as the House assembled to begin the day's session after the weekend break.

"This House congratulates our brave soldiers for displaying their courage in the face of stiff challenge and pays rich homage to the martyrs for their supreme sacrifice," Mr Birla said.

The Speaker also congratulated weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu for winning the Silver medal in the 49kg category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In Rajya Sabha, Vice President and chairperson of Rajya Sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu also made similar observations about the supreme sacrifices made by Indian soldiers during the Kargil conflict against Pakistan in 1999.

"On Kargil Vijay Diwas, I join the nation in remembering our armed forces' saga of valour & gallantry. I salute the heroes of the Kargil War and Operation Vijay and pay my respectful homage to the martyrs for their supreme sacrifice," Mr Naidu tweeted earlier in the day.

Members in both the Houses stood in silence for a while to pay homage to the Kargil martyrs.

Mirabai winning Silver Medal in the ongoing Olympics was received by thumping of desks by members.

The 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' is celebrated every year on July 26. In 1999 Indian army successfully took command of the high outposts.

The Kargil war was fought for over 60 days when the Pakistani army took advantage of the melting snow and, betraying the bilateral understanding, took control of Indian territory.