Gurugram, March 22 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday said that over the past decade, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has been continuously working to eliminate terrorism and Naxalism from the country.
The chief minister was addressing a Shaheedi Diwas programme organized in Gurugram by the Home Developers Association in honor of Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were martyred in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, according to an official statement.
Approximately 75 CRPF and state police personnel were killed in a Maoist attack on April 6, 2010, in the dense Mukrana forests of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.
Paying tribute to the soldiers who died in Dantewada, Saini said that a true patriot sacrifices everything for the nation, and assured that the state government stands firmly with the families of the martyrs.
The BJP leader said that the motto of "Nation First" is guiding the country today. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has not only strengthened its border security but also its internal security over the past 11 years.
On this occasion, Saini paid floral tribute to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, and announced the installation of a statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh at Leisure Valley Park.
He also presented a cheque of Rs 38.25 lakh to DIG CRPF Param Shivam for the welfare of the personnel of the reserve police.
The central and state governments are running several schemes in this regard, he said.
He said that this programme is dedicated to those 'Veeranganay' who have lost the biggest support of their lives but are still moving forward with courage.
Emphasizing that national security is not the sole responsibility of the armed forces but a collective duty of 140 crore Indians, Saini said, the sacrifice of martyrs teaches us that the highest purpose of life is service to the nation.
Describing Haryana as the land of bravehearts, he said that every household in the state reflects a spirit of patriotism, and every tenth soldier in the country's armed forces belongs to Haryana.
Incidents like Dantewada serve as a reminder that the fight is still ongoing, but our brave soldiers always remain ready to face every challenge, Saini said.
He added that the government has established the Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department in the state for the welfare of ex-servicemen and personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces.
He said that over the past 11 years, the present government has provided government jobs on compassionate grounds to the dependents of martyrs, with 418 such appointments made so far.
The ex-gratia amount for soldiers of the armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces martyred in war, and IED blasts has been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month is being provided to World War II veterans and their widows.