New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday praised the central paramilitary force personnel for their 'pious and gallant' deeds and said the government will soon announce some important decisions for their welfare.
Singh, who was officiating as the chief guest of the Border Security Force's annual investiture ceremony, also coined a new slogan for the paramilitary force calling it the "first wall" of defence on Indian borders.
The BSF is tasked with guarding the countrys' frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"I was told you are called the first line of defence but I would say you are the first wall of defence on the border as you take bullets directly. Because of your alert demeanour, the country and its citizens are safe," he said.
Singh, who has toured a number of locations of the BSF in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch and Sunderbans in West Bengal, said he knows the difficult life of these personnel in these areas.
"You have made the border post as your home despite many challenges. You have made your border post your new home. I know the difficulties being faced by you, like not getting a bath sometimes, mosquitoes bites and sometimes delays in getting food. Hence, we have taken some decisions for your welfare. I will not announce them now but very soon will do it.
"The Directors General of the forces probably know what we are going to do...I will announce them shortly," he said. Singh said the men and women of these forces have a great "sense of national pride" and from this comes the sense of sacrifice in them.
The Home Minister told the jawans and officers of BSF and other security forces that they were "taller" in stature than him and others because of their pious and gallant deeds.
"It's is not your 'pad' (post) that matters. You are taller ('kad') than us. A person is recognised not by his position but with the work, he does," the Home Minister said.
Singh said there was a need to improve the infrastructure facilities at various Indian borders and the government was putting efforts in this regard.
The government is considering to take up improving facilities like fencing, floodlighting and other resources in the border areas, he added.
During, the event to mark the birth anniversary of BSF's first chief KF Rustamji, the Home Minister also honoured those personnel who were part of an 2003 operation in Jammu and Kashmir where they killed dreaded terrorist and Jaish-e-Mohammand operations commander in Kashmir valley-- Gazi Baba.
Those awarded with citations for this operation included retired BSF IG K Srinivasan (who supervised the operation) and Deputy Commandant M R Binuchandran (who led a team inside Baba's hideout in Kashmir valley).
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