Modi greets nation on Raksha Bandhan

New Delhi, Aug 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday greeted the nation on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

"On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I extend my warm wishes to the people of the country," Modi said in a tweet.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan, signifying the bond of love between brothers and sisters, was celebrated across Punjab and Haryana today with traditional fervour.

Sisters were seen tying rakhis on their brothers' wrist and praying for their well being while the brothers in turn promised to protect them.

Markets across the two states were abuzz with activities as shops sold colourful rakhis of different shapes. Sweet shops are doing brisk business as women bought sweets in large numbers.

Among all these sisters is Amritpal Kaur, a resident of Jalandhar city, who has been celebrating the festival by tying rakhi on the interment of her martyr brother on the Indo-Pak border for the last 40 years.

Her brother Kamaljeet Singh got martyrdom on December 4, 1971 while fighting the Pakistani soldiers. He was posted in 20 Border Security Force (BSF) battalion at Simbal Sakole post on the border.

Kaur has been tying rakhi on his interment, constructed by the force at Simbal Border Out Post (BoP) in Bamial sector in Gurdaspur district for the last 40 years, a BSF spokesmen said.

The BSF had constructed the martyr's interment at the BoP. Kaur reached the Simbal BoP assisted by BSF personnel. She said she waits eagerly for Raksha Bandhan every year. Kaur also tied rakhis to BSF personnel also, the BSF said in a report from Gurdaspur.

IANS