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New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday paid tribute to martyrs on Police Memorial Day at the National Police Memorial and praised the personnel for protecting the integrity of the society.
On this day in 1959, ten brave policemen lost their lives in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese soldiers at Hot Springs in Ladakh. Since then, it is celebrated every year as Police Memorial Day.
Addressing police personnel on the occasion, Singh said, “This is a day to remember the supreme sacrifice made by our police and paramilitary forces. I pay my tribute to those who were martyred in the line of duty to protect the citizens of this country.”
Emphasizing that society and police are co-dependent, he said, “Any society can move towards peace and progress only when it has a strong sense of security, justice and trust. All our police personnel are responsible for these three.”
“On the contrary, it is equally true that the police can work effectively only when the society cooperates with the police and respects the law. When the relationship between the society and the police is based on mutual understanding, they both prosper. That is why it is essential that there is balanced cooperation between the society and the police.”
Singh said that the security of every country has two components – external security and internal security. He said that as far as external security is concerned, the armed forces and coast guard are present, but it is the policemen who maintain internal security by coordinating with intelligence agencies.
He further said, “If the armed forces protect the country, the police protect the society. If the armed forces protect the geographical integrity, the police protect the integrity of the society.”
He said, “Whether it is the army or the police, both are the pillars of the country’s security. So I believe no matter who the enemy is – from across the border or inside the country – whoever is protecting India is representative of one soul. The platforms of the armed forces and the police are different, but their mission is one – to protect the country.”
The Defense Minister said the balance between external and internal security has now become more important as India looks towards ‘Amrit Kaal’ and ‘Developed India 2047’.
He said, “Today crime has become a multidimensional phenomenon; it not only attacks one’s life or property but also our privacy, identity and trust.”
The Defense Minister said, “Police have to fight not only crime but also perception. On one hand, stopping crime is a demand of law, on the other hand, it is also a moral duty to maintain trust in the society. It is a good thing that our police is performing its official duty as well as its moral duty very well.”
He said, “Today if people are able to sleep peacefully at night, it is because they know that the armed forces are protecting us at the borders and the police are on the streets and in the colonies. The citizens of the country are confident that if anything goes wrong, the police will stand by them.”
–IANS
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