Bengaluru, Dec 11 (PTI): Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Ram Madhav on Saturday said the real tribute to the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who died along with 12 others in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, would be carrying forward the reforms he had set rolling.

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Madhav, who is the RSS national executive member, said General Rawat had embarked on a major reformist programme he was half way through when fate snatched him away.

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Mourning the death of General Rawat, Madhav said, "In his demise, the country has lost a great reformist leader of our armed forces."

Stating that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government made Rawat the first CDS, the RSS functionary said the new post was created to bring a cooperation between different wings of the armed forces, namely army, navy and air force.

"The real tribute will be that the reformist agenda set rolling by General Rawat be taken forward. General Rawat wanted Indian armed forces to reduce their dependence on external support and external equipment, develop our own capability in terms of equipment, which he had encouraged in a big way," the RSS national executive member said during a candle-light tribute at the Town Hall.

A sizeable number of people gathered at the venue to pay homage to those 13 people, including General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 soldiers, who died in the helicopter crash on December 8.

The RSS functionary claimed that the Light Combat Aircraft produced in Bengaluru and other indigenous equipment were inducted into the armed forces under the guidance of General Rawat.

He also claimed that one of the dreams of the departed soul was to create a unified command and create different unified theatre in the country where the Army, the navy and the air force would come together under one command and work together as one united force. He was optimistic that the reforms started by the CDS would continue further.

"I am sure that process will also be taken forward in the coming years. That will be the real tribute to General Rawat," the RSS leader said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)