Meaning of 'Abhinandan' will change: PM Modi after Wing Commander's return
New Delhi, Mar 2 (IBNS): Praising Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan by shooting him down in the middle of a dogfight, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the meaning of his name will alter.
Addressing the audience after inaugurating Construction Technology India 2019, Modi said: "The world watches carefully whatever India does. It is the might of India that it changes the meanings of words present in a dictionary. Once the meaning of Abhinandan was congratulations, but now the meaning will change."
A day after the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted surgical strike, Abhinandan was captured when his MiG-21 Bison fighter had fallen across the Line of Control in Pak-Occuppied Kashmir (PoK) on Feb 27, when the Indian pilot was engaged in a dogfight with an intruding Pakistani F-16 fighter jet.
He was taken into the custody by Pakistan army.
After India refused to sit across the table with its neighbouring country, which was facing an immense international pressure since Feb 14 Pulwama attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he will send Abhinandan to his own soil as a "peace gesture".
Abhinandan finally reached India through the Wagah border at around 9 pm on Friday.
After the return of the Indian pilot, who received huge praises from his countrymen for his courage, Modi had tweeted saying, "Welcome Home Wing Commander Abhinandan! The nation is proud of your exemplary courage. Our armed forces are an inspiration for 130 crore Indians. Vande Mataram!"
Welcome Home Wing Commander Abhinandan!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 1, 2019
The nation is proud of your exemplary courage.
Our armed forces are an inspiration for 130 crore Indians.
Vande Mataram!
He was also welcomed by other politicians, personalities from diverse fields.
The bilateral tension between the two Asian nations started after Pakistan-based militant organisation, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), carried out a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, leaving at least 40 Indian paramilitary personnel martyred.
Amid the countrymen's extreme anger, the IAF claimed it had carried out a surgical strike in a Jaish camp in Pakistan.
The next day, Pakistan, which denied its role behind Pulwama attack, also claimed it had carried out an airstrike on Wednesday.
Both India and Pakistan are fighting for the land of Kashmir but each possesses only parts of it.
Image Credit: BJP Twitter
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