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Saying that veterans are the icons of the country, Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt on Sunday said that the Central government is committed to finding solutions to their problems.
"The Veterans Day is being celebrated at 10 places in the country... All veterans are the icons of this country... We have been solving their problems whether it is about medical facilities or OROP (One Rank One Pension )," Ajay Bhatt told ANI on the sidelines of the 8th Armed Force Veterans Day celebrations held here. He said that listening to the concerns of veterans is the responsibility of the government. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks at everything very seriously and finds solutions to problems... They (veterans) have taken bullets for this country. Some got martyred and some returned safely. It is our responsibility to listen to their concerns," Ajay Bhatt added. 8th Armed Forces Veterans' Day was celebrated on Sunday at multiple locations pan India to pay respects to the ex-servicemen for their selfless duty and sacrifices and reinforce solidarity towards the Next of Kin of these bravehearts. Wreath-laying ceremonies and Veterans' Rallies were organised in Srinagar, Pathankot, Delhi, Kanpur, Alwar, Jodhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai, Secunderabad, Kochi and several other places to mark the day. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the celebrations by addressing a Veterans' Rally at Air Force Station, Kanpur. Around 1,000 ex-servicemen attended the event. The Defence Minister interacted with them and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the heroes for their selfless service to the motherland. He emphasised that the veterans hold a special place in the heart of every Indian. "Our soldiers rise above family, caste & creed and only think about the nation. They effectively carry out their duties as they know for a fact that if the nation is secure, everything is safe. This gives them the moral strength to face every challenge," he added. Rajnath Singh reasserted the unwavering commitment of the Ministry of Defence towards the welfare of ex-servicemen, stating that from implementing the One Rank One Pension scheme to providing health care and re-employment, the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been leaving no stone unturned to ensure the well-being of the veterans. He added that while the Government is making more efforts as the nation is progressing, it is also a collective responsibility of the people to treat the soldiers and their dependents as their own family and ensure that they stand with them always. He appealed to the people to further strengthen their will to honour the retired as well as the serving soldiers. The Defence Minister pointed out that the bravery, integrity, professionalism and humanity of the Indian soldiers is respected and recognised not just by the whole country, but by the entire world. "The bravery of our soldiers who fought in the First & Second World Wars are remembered with respect across the globe. We, Indians, too not only respect our soldiers, but also those of other countries. In this 1971 war, more than 90,000 soldiers of Pakistan surrendered to India. We could have treated them in any way we wanted, but such is our culture and tradition that we adopted a completely humanitarian attitude and sent them back to their country with full respect. Such treatment of enemy soldiers is one of the golden chapters of humanity," he said. (ANI)
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