Overview
- Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma led a ceremony in Churu on Wednesday that unveiled Lt Gen Sagat Singh Rathore’s statue, inaugurated a war memorial, and renamed the city stadium in his honor.
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur praised Rathore’s record, citing his actions at Nathu La, the Goa liberation effort, and leadership during the 1971 campaign that ended in Dhaka.
- Sharma detailed welfare steps for service members, including a first integrated soldiers’ welfare complex in Didwana-Kuchaman, new district offices, hotel concessions for war widows and ex-servicemen, honorarium hikes, and job reservations for Agniveers, the military’s short-term recruits, in police and fire services.
- He said the One Rank One Pension scheme restored dignity for ex-servicemen and that the Make in India program strengthened India’s defence modernization.
- The chief minister also attacked the Congress, alleging it delayed OROP, bought poor-quality equipment at high prices, questioned surgical and Balakot strikes, and enabled defence procurement scams.