Dhami celebrates recent festivals with relatives of rescued workers

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday held a celebration to mark recent festivals at his official residence here with the relatives of the workers evacuated from the Silkyara tunnel.Taking part in the event along with his wife Geeta, Dhami said Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Govardhan puja passed without much celebrations this year because the 41 labourers had been trapped inside the tunnel for more than 16 days.I had decided I would celebrate these festivals together only when they return safely.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday held a celebration to mark recent festivals at his official residence here with the relatives of the workers evacuated from the Silkyara tunnel.

Taking part in the event along with his wife Geeta, Dhami said Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Govardhan puja passed without much celebrations this year because the 41 labourers had been trapped inside the tunnel for more than 16 days.

''I had decided I would celebrate these festivals together only when they return safely. Now that they are back, we are organising the celebrations,'' Dhami told reporters.

The chief minister's residence was decorated and lit up on the occasion. Folk songs and dances were performed. The chief minister also met the relatives who attended the celebrations which concluded with a dinner.

State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt, Rajpur MLA Khajan Das and Dehradun Mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama were also present.

The 41 workers were rescued Tuesday evening in a multi-agency operation days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand collapsed on November 12, the day of Diwali, trapping them inside.