JOIN USEach family should have a soldier: Martyr's mother
At least seven hundred people, including family members of martyred soldiers, took part in ‘March for Nation’, organised by Yuva Brigade in association with other organisations in city on Sunday.
The protest march against anti-national activities, flagged off by Sarvamangala, mother of martyred Siachen soldier P N Mahesh of H D Kote, saw a large number of youths enthusiastically participating and raising slogans against anti-national activities.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Sarvamangala said the onus was on the government to attract youth to join armed forces and to serve the nation. Every mother should motivate her children to serve the country by joining defence forces. Each family should have a soldier, who serves the country, she added. Though the soldiers have been sacrificing their lives at the borders, the governments are not concerned about their family members. Many are struggling to lead a dignified life, she lamented.
Mariyappa, father of martyred soldier Hemachandra said, “We are proud to have sacrificed our children for the sake of the country, and have no other desire. We need no benefits from the government. But, the government should have minimum concern towards the families of the soldiers,” he said.
Former MLA H Gangadharan, who also participated, said inculcating patriotism among students should begin at the school level. There is a need to include topics on patriotism and about those who sacrificed their lives for the nation in the syllabus, he opined. He also stressed that the respective governments should provide them basic facilities and parents of the army personnel and martyred soldiers should be treated with respect.
Ex-servicemen, advocates, hoteliers, teachers, professors, businessmen and members of various organisations took part in the event.
The march commenced near the court complex after offering floral tributes to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and photos of Martyred soldiers P N Mahesh, T T Nagesh and Hanumanthappa Koppad. The participants, holding tri-colour and placards carrying messages like ‘Nation First, Ideology next’, ‘My Flag My Nation My Pride’, took out the rally on the main streets of the city.