New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the internal security scenario has "vastly improved" over the last four years.
Addressing a Vijay Diwas function here, he said the number of Left Wing Extremism-affected districts has come down from 90 to just about 12, while there has been an 80 per cent decrease in insurgency in the northeastern region.
The Home Minister said the Border Security Force (BSF) has been given "full freedom to retaliate effectively" to ceasefire violations from Pakistan.
He also said the veteran ex-servicemen can play a key role in inculcating a sense of national pride among the youth.
Recalling the heroics of Maha Vir Chakra awardee Brigadier Mohammad Usman and India's first Param Vir Chakra Major Somnath Sharma, the Minister lamented that the youth today idolise cricketers and film stars, but can hardly name any Param Vir Chakra recipients.
He said "our armed forces proved in 1971 they have the capability to rewrite history and redraw maps". The Indian Army has since emerged as a professional model before the world, he added.
He also honoured the families of martyrs and released the first quarterly newsletter of Veterans India Association. He declared to contribute one month's salary to the organisation's corpus fund for the martyrs' welfare.
On December 16, Vijay Diwas marks the military victory of India over Pakistan in the 1971 war -- the battle for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. The end of the war resulted in a unilateral and unconditional surrender by the Pakistani Army.
"December 16, 1971, one of the shortest wars (13 days)... one of the biggest surrenders. We pay tribute to the valour of Indian Military and Mukti Jodhas, who made this historic military victory possible," the Defence Spokesperson tweeted.