india

Updated: Oct 27, 2019 03:11 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to spend Diwali with soldiers at a forward base, most likely in the northern sector, in keeping with his practice of celebrating with troops since becoming PM in 2014, officials said on Saturday.

The officials said Modi could spend the festival with soldiers deployed along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, although the army was tight-lipped about the PM’s plans. “Yes, he is travelling outside Delhi for Diwali celebrations, but we are not in a position to comment further,” a senior official said.

The army has deployed more troops along the LoC over the past two months to deal with an unusual spike in infiltration by Pakistan-backed terrorists looking to stir trouble in Jammu & Kashmir since the Centre’s move revoking the special status of the state on August 5, as reported by Hindustan Times on October 14.

PM Modi has always spent the festival with soldiers in forward areas to boost their morale after assuming office in 2014.

Modi started his Diwali day in 2014 with soldiers in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, where he made an unannounced and rare visit to boost the morale of the troops guarding the icy heights.

Apart from the northern sector, he has spent time with troops on Diwali in the central and eastern sectors, too.

Last year, the Prime Minister had celebrated the festival with soldiers and Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at a forward area near the India-China border in Uttarakhand.