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Ahmedabad, Nov 21 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday praised the force’s legacy and its forward-looking role in national security, saying “as long as the Border Security Force (BSF) is guarding our border, no enemy can enter India.”
BSF celebrated its 61st raising day in Bhuj, Kutch, with a grand ceremony which was also attended by the Union Home Minister.
HM Shah inspected the parade in an open jeep, saluted the BSF contingents and presented medals to the personnel for exemplary service.
In his address, the Union Minister declared that “as long as the BSF is standing at the border, no enemy can enter India”, praising the soldiers for protecting the nation with unwavering courage and sacrifice.
Condemning the recent “cowardly attack” on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, he said Operation Sindoor has prompted a strong response and reaffirmed the Centre’s resolve to identify and expel every infiltrator from the country.
The Union Home Minister said that India’s representatives “will be chosen only by Indian citizens, not by infiltrators”, adding that the ongoing SIR process will ensure transparency.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Shanghvi, senior BSF officers, district collectors and local leaders, hundreds of citizens and students were present.
The special invitees included veteran engineers who had built the strategic runway during the India-Pakistan war of 1971, an emotional moment that drew widespread applause.
BSF, India’s largest border-guarding force, is celebrating its 61st raising day, commemorating its formation on December 1, 1965, after the India-Pakistan war, when the need for a dedicated, specialized border force became apparent.
Established to guard India’s international borders and prevent cross-border crimes, the BSF has since grown into a 2.5 lakh-strong elite force guarding the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Over six decades, the BSF has played a key role in major national security incidents – from the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, where BSF troops fought alongside the Army, to counter-infiltration operations, disaster relief efforts, internal security duties and peacekeeping roles.
Today, as it celebrates its 61st year, the BSF stands as a symbol of courage, sacrifice and unwavering vigilance on the country’s borders.
–IANS
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