Amit Shah pays tribute to 40 CRPF jawans killed in 2019 Pulwama terror attack

Pulwama, Oct 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday paid tribute to 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, who were killed in the 2019 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

The Home Minister visited the memorial along with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha where he laid a wreath at the memorial and paid tribute to the personnel killed in the terror attack.

Amit Shah, who extended his three-day visit to the Valley, interacted with the security personnel at the CRPF camp at Lethpora in the Pulwama district on Monday. "I want to spend one night with you people and understand your problems," he said

Expressing his gratitude to the CRPF for ensuring no bloodshed after Article 370 and 35A were revoked, the Home Minister said, "There are many changes that are happening on the development front, in infrastructure, industrial and education sectors because the Army and CRPF are ensuring that all sinister designs are defeated,"

"The alertness with which 28,000 jawans and also J-K policemen worked after a major decision was taken in national and J-K's interest, no blood was shed and a new era of development was started in Kashmir,"' he said.

The Union Home Minister further said the country should now set the goals to achieve in its 100th year of independence. "We are celebrating India's 75th year of independence under the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav. But we will have to set goals where we want to see India when we complete 100 years of Independence, " he said.

Amit Shah said that India has made progress and it will be celebrated but "we have to prepare for the future". "We might not be around when India completes 100 years of Independence but the nation will still be there. So, we have to set goals. We have made progress in the 75 years, we will celebrate that and pat the back of those who contributed in it as well," he said.

The attack on the CRPF convoy took place in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14, 2019.

A 22-year-old suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus carrying 40 CRPF personnel on February 14, 2019, in the Pulwama district. The incident killed 40 Indian soldiers along with the perpetrator-Adil Ahmad Dar-who was a local Kashmiri youth. PTI