Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: A week later, on September 30 afternoon, Air Vice Marshal Amarpreet Singh will take over as the next Indian Air Force (IAF) chief. Earlier, Birender Singh Dhanoa remained IAF chief from December 31, 2016, to September 30, 2019. As such, Amarpreet Singh will be the second air chief from the Sikh community reaching the top position during BJP government tenure, BJP spokesperson Arun Gupta said here on Tuesday.
In this way, Mr Amarpreet Singh will soon become the second Sikh, after Mr Dhanoa, to lead the IAF during BJP government tenures. Mr Dhanoa headed the IAF when it struck against Pakistan in Balakot in February 2019 in retaliation for the Pulwama blast. This had happened towards the end of first tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Gupta pointed out.
In November 2008, Pakistan-backed terrorists had struck in commercial capital of India Mumbai killing around 170 people. However, the Congress government of the day led by Manmohan Singh had done nothing to retaliate against Pakistan. The then IAF chief Fali Homi Major is on record as saying that his force was ready for strikes against Pakistan. However, the Congress government did not allow any such action, he added.
The first major action that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government did after coming to power in 2004 was abolition of the Prevention of Terrorist Act (POTA). Remotely controlled UPA government was a puppet for Sonia Gandhi and it tried to abolish Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir also. However, it could not do so due to stiff resistance from the Army, Mr Gupta said.
Who was the Congress trying to help by the abolition of POTA? Obviously, separatist and secessionists as also terrorists were greatly encouraged by these steps. The lack of retaliation in November 2008 also emboldened Pakistan to launch more terrorist strikes against India, Mr Gupta said. This trend of Pakistani terrorists striking in the Indian territory was reversed only in 2016 when Surgical Strikes were carried out, Mr Gupta pointed out.
In November 2006, Manmohan Singh had sent Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to lead an unofficial delegation to the UN to make a presentation about his concept of self-rule before an international gathering at the General Assembly. Thus, the UPA government had sent a delegation of PDP leaders to the UN to canvass support for self-rule concept and full autonomy for Jammu & Kashmir which could have paved the way for an independent Kashmir. This was nothing but a seditious act, Mr Gupta said.
In Jammu city, a statue of Baba Banda Bahadur has been set up as a tribute to great Sikh warrior who avenged the killings of 10th Sikh Guru Govind Singh Ji’s sons. Road connectivity to Dera Baba Banda gurudwara in Reasi district has been improved by a massive up-gradation work has also been done, Mr Gupta said. In the year 2022, the Modi government declared December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas in the memory of the sons of the 10th Guru, Shri Guru Govind Singh ji. Programmes are being organised in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, UAE and Greece also, he added.
Three copies (swaroop) of Shri Guru Granth Sahib were brought to Delhi from Afghanistan. Under CAA (Citizens Amendment Act), the Sikhs facing persecution in Pakistan and Afghanistan have been given rights to acquire citizenship of India, Mr Gupta said. Overall, there are many steps the BJP has taken to honour the Sikh community and their welfare, he concluded.
