New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed Shastra Pooja, on Sunday the customary worship of weapons in Sikkim near the China Border on the occasion of Dusheera. After performing pooja he said that India wants peace along its border with China. He was accompanied by army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, besides other officers and Jawans, for the pooja at the Sukna War memorial in Darjeeling.

Speaking on the occasion Defence Minister said I am confident that our soldiers will not let anyone to take an inch of our land. We want that the Indo border tension should end and peace should be preserved, he said. He also said India’s brave soldiers have sacrificed their lives. He was scheduled to perform the pooja at Sherathang, a high-attitude border barely 2 km away from the LAC with China in Sikkim, but could not go there inclement weather, said officials.

Defence Minister Raj Nath Singh also inaugurated a new road in Sikkim -Alternate Alignment Gangtok-Nathula Road – via video conferencing from the Sukna-based headquarters of 33 Corps, which guards the de-facto border with China in the Sikkim sector. “I am happy to dedicate the partial alternate route of National Highway-310, to the people of Sikkim… Most of the border roads in Sikkim are being upgraded by the Border Road Organisation to double lane…

These works are planned in 9 packages with an estimated cost of ₹ 5,710 crores,” said the minister who is on a two-day visit to West Bengal and Sikkim to review the preparedness of the armed forces.