Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate Diwali with Indian Army personnel deployed along the India-China border at Nathu La in Sikkim during a two-day visit to the state on Saturday and Sunday.
A senior Defence Ministry official said Singh would interact with troops guarding the border and visit the Sherathang War Memorial to pay tribute to soldiers who have lost their lives in service.
The visit is part of Singh’s tradition of celebrating major festivals with frontline personnel. He usually spends Vijayadashami with troops at military stations across the country but could not do so this year because of an official visit abroad.
Visit Comes Amid Continued India-China Border Dialogue
Singh’s visit comes as India and China continue efforts to maintain peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In September, the Indian and Chinese armies held their first Corps Commander-level meeting in the Eastern Sector, expanding military dialogue beyond the Ladakh sector.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief Shatrujeet Kapur recently said face-offs between Indian security forces and Chinese troops had continued at several locations along the LAC since July, including in Arunachal Pradesh.
Cross-border trade through the Nathu La pass also resumed in August after a suspension of more than six years.
Rajnath Singh Criticises Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Theft Allegations
During a separate political address, Singh also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of vote theft and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Referring to Gandhi’s description of his allegations as a “hydrogen bomb”, Singh said the claims had failed to establish evidence of electoral malpractice. He accused the Congress leader of presenting ordinary voters as fake voters through what he described as inaccurate examples.
Singh also accused the Congress and its allies of using political confrontation to create unrest. He urged Gandhi to choose dialogue and nation-building over what he called obstructionist politics.
The Defence Minister further referred to the Emergency, the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and the firing on kar sevaks while criticising the Congress’s record. He also defended the Election Commission and accused the Opposition of undermining constitutional institutions.
