Atal Bihari Vajpayee death anniversary: Rajnath Singh pays tribute in Rajasthan’s Pokhran

Aug 16, 2019

Pokhran (Rajasthan), Aug 16 (ANI): To mark the first death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to him on August 16. The event took place in Rajasthan’s Pokhran. Nuclear Test was conducted in May 1998 in Pokhran when Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat was also present during the event. Several other Indian Army personnel were also present during the occasion. While speaking to ANI, Rajnath Singh said, “It is a coincidence that today I came for International Army Scout Masters Competition in Jaisalmer and today it is the first death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. So, I felt I should pay tribute to him on the land of Pokhran only.” “Till today, our nuclear policy is ‘No First Use’. What happens in future depends on the circumstances,” he added. Vajpayee died on August 16, 2018 at Delhi’s AIIMS. He was decorated with the Bharat Ratna in 2014.