Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that it is time for the countrymen to give back to the country, as he called on them to act as "responsible riders" and "not free riders" in the journey of the nation's growth.
Singh said this in his address after launching a website -- 'Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot' (MBKS) -- at an event held at the National War Memorial complex here. It is our moral and national duty to help families of martyrs and injured soldiers as "we can never repay what they have done for the country," he said.
The website will enable citizens to contribute to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF). "When we help soldiers or their families, it should not be with a feeling of charity or favour, but with a feeling of gratitude," Singh said.
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AFBCWF is a tri-service fund, which is used for grant of immediate financial assistance of ex-gratia to the families of soldiers, sailors, and airmen who get killed or get grievously injured in active military operations, a senior Army official said.
Singh commended the armed forces for always protecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country by responding to threats such as wars and cross-border terror activities with courage and promptness, he said.
"As a responsible citizen, it is our our moral duty to do something for them (soldiers), who have done so much for us," Singh said and exhorted people to generously contribute to the Fund. Singh said people must rise above personal or institutional sense of prestige and work for "the country, society and our soldiers".
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"The country has given so much. It is now time for us to give back something to the nation. In this journey of the nation's growth, somebody else may feel or not, we should feel that we are not free riders, rather we are responsible riders. And, it is our duty to ensure active participation in nation-building," the defence minister said.
In his address, Singh underlined that a large number of countrymen had actively contributed to freedom struggle, from ordinary people to industrialists like G D Birla, Jamnalal Bajaj and J N Tata.
"Even after Independence, during war times, people contribute to the armed forces and donated with open hearts. During the 1962 war, women offered their precious jewelleries and many people parted with their stocked wealth on nation's call that helped in getting some essential arms and ammunition and clothing for the soldiers," he said.
The defence minister also narrated the story of the villagers of Madhapur in Bhuj, who had helped in rebuilding an IAF strip during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. "Pakistani forces had damaged an IAF airstrip in Bhuj durig 1971 war which was used for taking off of fighter planes. On IAF's call, about 300 villagers of Madhapur came forward to rebuild the airstrip, and most of them were women. And, after it was repaired and IAF fighter jets again took off, and what happened afterwards, need not be told," he said.
"Names of great personalities like Maharana Pratap, Veer Shivaji, Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Rani Laxmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Ashfaqullah Khan will be etched in our hearts forever. Their sacrifices continue to be an inspiration for all. It is our Armed Forces who are at the fore preserving our freedom," he said.
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While the government has initiated a large number of welfare schemes for the soldiers killed or disabled during active combat operations, there has been a strong public sentiment and requests from citizens, corporate heads, banks and industry captains to contribute to the cause of welfare of the soldiers and their families. The website will enable people to contribute online directly into the fund. A certificate of online contribution can also be downloaded, the statement said.
Indian Army, on behalf Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, is maintaining an account for the fund. Besides online donation, the conventional systems of donations will continue.
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(With PTI Inputs)
