New Delhi, March 24 - Defense Minister Rajnath Singh marked the festival of colors, Holi, by celebrating with armed forces personnel stationed in Leh, Ladakh, near the China border. Despite initially planning to visit soldiers at Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, Rajnath Singh's itinerary changed due to adverse weather conditions.

During the celebration, the Defense Minister applied colors to the soldiers and offered them sweets, extending his warm wishes for the festival. He emphasized the soldiers' role as protectors, likening them to guardian deities, saying, "While protecting us from enemies, all the soldiers are also no less than protector gods for us."

Rajnath Singh has a tradition of celebrating festivals with the armed forces, having previously marked Diwali and Holi at various border outposts. Last year, he celebrated Holi with sailors on the INS 'Vikrant,' India's indigenous aircraft carrier. Expressing his regret for not being able to visit Siachen this year, he conveyed his Holi wishes to the soldiers there from Leh.

Addressing the soldiers, the Defense Minister expressed profound admiration for their courage and sacrifice, especially in challenging environments like Siachen and Kargil. He praised their unwavering commitment to duty, highlighting their pivotal role in safeguarding the nation's security.

Rajnath Singh concluded his address by stating, "The country will always be indebted to you for demonstrating this unwavering willpower. In times to come, when the history of national security is written, your acts of bravery that brought boiling water to the icy cold glacier will be remembered with pride."

Srinagar, Sep 6 (IANS) Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) election scheduled for September 10, saying that the regional National Conference (NC) is entitled to 'plough' symbol during these elections.

Holding that the NC is entitled to plough symbol in the elections of LAHDC, the Supreme Court set aside the August 5 notification for the poll.

The Supreme Court has directed the Ladakh UT administration to issue a fresh notification for the electoral exercise within seven days.

The apex court also imposed a penalty of Rs one lakh on Ladakh administration which had declined to authorise the NC to use the plough symbol for the elections.

Further details were awaited.

The people of Dungti village in eastern Ladakh are rejoicing after getting tap water even at temperatures as low as -30° C. The news has been greeted with much fanfare, and the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has personally extended his congratulations to the villagers on this achievement.

The success in Dungti is a testament to the government's commitment to providing "Har Ghar Jal" (tap water to every household) through the Jal Jivan Mission. The mission aims to provide every rural household with tap water connections by 2024 and is considered to be one of the most important initiatives of the government in recent times.

The success in Dungti is a result of the hard work and dedication of the government and its agencies, who have made it a priority to provide rural India with access to clean drinking water. The provision of tap water in the village will have a profound impact on the lives of its residents, who have struggled with limited sources of fresh water in the past.

In conclusion, the tap water crisis in Dungti has been resolved thanks to the commitment of the Prime Minister and the implementation of the Jal Jivan Mission. This success story is a beacon of hope for rural India and a step towards fulfilling the basic right of every citizen to access clean and safe drinking water.