Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Sep: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Gorkha Women’s Haritalika Teej festival held at Jaswant Singh Ground, Garhi Cantt, here, on Sunday. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced that the Haritalika Teej festival would be celebrated on a grander scale at the government level. He extended his greetings to the mothers and sisters of the Gorkha community on Haritalika Teej, wishing them happiness, peace, prosperity, and well-being.
The Chief Minister said that Haritalika Teej symbolises the unwavering penance, faith, dedication, and strength of Goddess Parvati. This festival inspires us to move forward towards our goals with determination and unwavering faith. He said that traditional festivals like Teej are an important means of connecting the new generation to its culture and roots. Mothers and sisters are the greatest guardians of culture, traditions, and values. Their efforts have ensured that language, folk traditions, and cultural heritage are passed down from generation to generation.
The Chief Minister remarked that the Gorkha community is known for its bravery, devotion, hard work, and patriotism. Gorkha warriors have always displayed indomitable courage and valour in defending the country’s borders. The entire nation is proud of the Gorkha community’s spirit of sacrificing everything for the country. The Chief Minister stated that the Gorkha community has made a significant contribution to Uttarakhand’s development journey. Through their hard work and honesty, members of the community have played a crucial role in the state’s progress in various fields, including education, sports, arts and literature, and social service.
The Chief Minister also stated that the foundation stone of the “Azad Hind Fauj Martyrs’ Gate” to be built in memory of the martyr Captain Dal Bahadur Thapa, was laid in the Mussoorie Assembly constituency today. He stated that this Martyrs’ Gate will become a symbol of the Gorkha community’s indomitable courage, sacrifice, and patriotism, and will also introduce future generations to their sacrifice and dedication.
Referring to the cordial relations between India and Nepal, the Chief Minister said that the two countries are not merely neighbours, but also share centuries-old cultural and familial ties. Coming from a border region, he has closely experienced the shared culture, affinity, and interconnectedness between India and Nepal.
Referring to the natural disaster in Nepal, the Chief Minister said that India stands with Nepal in this difficult time. He expressed his condolences to the disaster-affected people and wished Nepal a speedy recovery from this crisis.
The Chief Minister stated that empowerment of women is among the top priorities of the state government. Toward this end, the state government has provided 30 percent horizontal reservation for women in government services. The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand has taken significant steps toward strengthening women’s rights. Extensive work is also being done to empower women economically through self-help groups. More than 300,000 women in the state have become “Lakhpati Didis” and are playing a vital role in strengthening their families and the state’s economy. The Chief Minister stated that the state government is committed to the empowerment and welfare of women.
Cabinet Ministers Ganesh Joshi, Acharya Balkrishna, Geeta Pushkar Dhami, President of the Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha, Padam Singh Thapa, President of the Gorkhali Mahila Haritalika Teej Utsav Committee, Prabha Shah, President of the Gorkha Kalyan Parishad, Jyoti Kotia, Neha Joshi, Siddharth Agarwal, Anukriti Gusain, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
