Uttarakhand CM celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Lansdowne

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday visited the Lansdowne cantonment to celebrate Diwali with army soldiers, saying he felt "fortunate" to be with them on the auspicious occasion.

Paying tribute to the martyrs by offering a wreath at the war memorial there, Dhami said, "We can light diyas at our homes on Diwali only because our brave soldiers live away from their families to protect the country's borders." The chief minister also said that he salutes the soldier's spirit of placing duty towards the nation above everything else.

"I feel blessed to celebrate the festival with you," he said.

Dhami also distributed sweets and gifts among the soldiers, widows of martyrs and their children.

Being the son of an army man, he knows the hardships that the families of soldiers have to go through, the chief minister said.

A provision has been made to increase the amount given to the families of the martyred soldiers from Rs10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, he said.

"Diwali this year is special because Lord Ram is back in his palace in Ayodhya," Dhami said.

Speaking of India's growing self-reliance under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dhami said, "Earlier we used to buy weapons in large numbers from abroad but today more than 200 defence equipment are being manufactured in our own country."