“People of India feel their country is safe because of you; when the world sees you, it sees India’s strength, when enemies see you, they see the end of their sinister plans,” the prime minister said, addressing personnel of the Border Security Force, Army, Navy and Air Force.
Modi also called on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar separately and greeted them on Diwali.
One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Diwali is associated with the day Lord Ram is believed to have returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after defeating demon king Ravana during his 14 years in exile. The festival is seen as a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Dressed in traditional attire, people greeted each other, exchanged sweets and gifts, and visited temples.
Meanwhile, troops of India and China exchanged sweets at several border points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including at locations in eastern Ladakh, on the occasion of Diwali.
The exchange took place at all the five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC — Bum La and Wacha/Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Chushul-Moldo and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh and Nathu La in Sikkim — among several other locations, sources said.
