Defence Minister Rajnath to celebrate Dussehra with Army jawans in Sikkim

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate Dussehra with Army soldiers in a high-altitude border area in Sikkim and perform 'Shastra Puja' (worship of weapons) on the occasion on Sunday, government sources said.

The defence minister's decision to celebrate Dussehra with Army soldiers in the border area in Sikkim sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) comes in the midst of India's border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

Sources said the defence minister will travel to Sikkim on Saturday afternoon for a two-day visit, during which he will visit a number of border posts of the Indian Army besides inaugurating a few infrastructure projects.

"The defence minister will spend Saturday night with Army soldiers to celebrate Dussehra. On Sunday, he will perform 'shastra puja' there," said a source.

The defence minister had performed 'Shastra Puja' in the French port city of Bordeaux during Dussehra last year as he was on a bilateral visit to the country then.

Singh has been performing 'Shastra Puja' during Dussehra for the last several years, including during his tenure as the Union Home Minister in the previous NDA government.

His visit to Sikkim to celebrate Dussehra will be a morale booster for the soldiers, said an official.

Almost all formations of the Indian Army along the LAC are on a very high level of alert in view of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

India and China are locked in an over five-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained their ties. Both sides held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row. However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.