Speaker Gupta pays tribute to Kargil martyrs

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta attended an annual blood donation camp at Maharaja Agrasen Bhawan in Rohini on Sunday to commemorate the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas, paying floral tributes to the martyrs of the 1999 Kargil conflict. On the occasion, the Speaker also commended the organisers of the event for linking the memory of Indian soldiers with a humanitarian initiative.

Addressing military veterans, office bearers, dignitaries, and volunteer donors, Gupta recounted the achievements of the Indian Armed Forces during the Kargil conflict. He noted that 27 years ago Indian soldiers secured the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country by scaling rugged heights under extreme weather conditions and difficult terrain to evict intruders, ensuring the national tricolour flew over the mountains of Ladakh.

He drew a parallel between the sacrifice of soldiers and the act of voluntary blood donation. “Bloodshed in defense of the motherland secures our freedom, and blood donated in service of humanity preserves life; both represent the highest forms of selfless sacrifice for the nation,” he said.

Gupta recalled standing on the grounds where the conflict was fought and spoke of interactions with residents of border villages, including Thang. He also referenced the 1971 war, when Indian troops reclaimed nearly 800 square kilometres of territory in sub-zero temperatures, describing these episodes as enduring sources of national inspiration.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on July 26 to mark the day in 1999 when India declared victory in the Kargil conflict after reclaiming all Indian posts that had been occupied by Pakistani forces in the high-altitude region of Ladakh.