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Ready to face war with courage: PM
By Our Special Correspondent
The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Human Resource Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, with the National Bravery Award winners in New Delhi on Wednesday. - Photo: V. Sudershan
NEW DELHI, JAN. 23. The Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, today declared that India would never tolerate aggression by any country and was ready to face a war with courage. ``We are worshippers of peace. But, if needed, we can also be devotees of revolution,'' he said.
Presenting the national awards for bravery to 25 children from across the country at his residence, he pointed out that India had never attacked another country. But, if it came under attack, it would not tolerate it.
Recalling his poem, `hum jung nahin hone denge' (we will not allow war), he said, ``we do not want. We do not desire war. But, if it happens, we will face it with courage and win it''. The Indian soldiers went to the battlefield to protect the country and not for attacking, he added.
Paying tributes to the valour of the children who have won the bravery awards, four of whom were awarded posthmously, he called upon children to imbibe a spirit of fearlessness and a helping tendency towards others. He also asked them never to lose the presence of mind. Going down the memory lane, he recalled how when he was a child he was saved by a friend from drowning in a river.
The children who were honoured with the bravery awards include Reshma Mohapatra of Orissa, Prem Kanwar of Rajasthan, Nikhil Singh of West Bengal, and Lalmunsanga of Mizoram, who had laid down their lives while trying to save others from a sure death.
The other award winners are: Aakash Sabharwal of Delhi, Ashwini Kamath, Andy Tenita Fernandes, Shruti Ullal, Sridevi Damodar, K.J. Kamaraju and Shilpa Satish Tamadaddi of Karnataka, Katta Trinadh and Putta Someshwar of Andhra Pradesh, Sanath of Kerala, Lalitha Devi Yadav, Mehul Sanyal, and Ritu Singh Tomar of Madhya Pradesh, Nijal Omprakash Patil, Narendra Shantaram Bithale, Sharvari Sudhir Mali, Mitali Mahendra Khapurkar of Maharashtra, Bhoopendra Singh Bainiwal of Rajasthan, Johny Lalnunfela of Mizoram, Surjeet Singh and Amrik Singh of Jammu and Kashmir.
Andal Damodaran, president of Indian Council of Child Welfare, which has instituted the awards, emphasised the need for more pro-active programmes for the welfare of children.
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