Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Oct 30: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was scheduled to arrive at Tawang today on a two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh, landed at Tezpur in neighbouring Assam due to bad weather conditions in Tawang, Defence sources said.
Arunachal Pradesh, including Tawang, has been experiencing heavy rains since last night.
According to sources in the defence establishment, the Defence Minister was to visit the forward posts and interact and join a ‘Bada Khana’ with the troops at the 190 Mountain Brigade, Tawang.
Tomorrow, he is scheduled to inaugurate the Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing Museum of Valour and unveil the statue of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, titled "Desh Ka Vallabh", at Tawang.
The Guwahati-based Defence PRO Lt Col Mahendra Rawat has earlier informed that the Defence Minister will halt at Tezpur for now and if the weather permits, his chopper will leave for Tawang. He added that, if the bad weather condition persists, Singh will join tomorrow's Tawang programmes online through video conferencing.
Singh will now have 'Bada Khana' and interaction with the troops at the Tezpur Military Station, the Defence PRO said.
Earlier, before departing for Arunachal Pradesh, Rajnath Singh posted on X: “Leaving New Delhi for Tawang on a two day visit to Arunachal Pradesh. Looking forward to interact with Armed Forces personnel and attend the inaugural ceremony of a museum dedicated to brave Indian Army officer Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing.”
Welcoming the Defence Minister to the pious land of dawn-lit mountains, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said in a social media post: “The two monuments dedicated to two great and brave souls (Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) will always remind us of their critical contributions to our country's integrity and sovereignty.”
“The heroic deed of Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing, who bravely led an expedition in February 1951 to bring Indian administration in Tawang, has no parallel in human history,” Khandu said.
Major Bob Khathing, an Indian soldier, civil servant and diplomat, had, for the first time, hoisted the national flag in Tawang on February 14, 1951 by integrating the border town, and establishing Indian administrative control upto the McMahon Line.
In 1951, he led a contingent of Assam Rifles troops to Tawang, which was then under Tibetan control, and held negotiations with Tibetan officials and raised local support to bring Tawang under India.