Kargil, May 1 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre wants the border region to become self-reliant, as he praised the residents of Leh, Ladakh and Kargil for being the first to defend the nation during threats from the frontier.

Addressing the gathering, Union Home Minister Shah also referred to the Bharat Scouts and said their history is known across the country.

He said, "We want this border region to become self-reliant. And I am truly grateful to the residents of Leh, Ladakh, and Kargil. Whenever India has faced danger from this frontier, the army arrived later; first, the people of Ladakh took bullets on their chests and defended the nation. The history of the Bharat Scouts is known across the country, from Kas...