The Haridwar MP and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ spent time on the occasion of Deepawali with army jawans and officers in the Indo-Tibet/China border area of Mana in Chamoli district. The MP celebrated the festival with the army men offering them sweets and encouragement at the Mana border post. In a statement issued to the media, it was stated that the Haridwar MP addressed the soldiers extolling their role in ensuring national security. He said, “In order to ensure the security of the people of India, you are not able to celebrate festivals with your family members when you are on duty. Prime minister Narendra Modi is committed to always maintain the honour and morale of the soldiers which is one of the reasons for the ‘Ek Diya Sainik ke Nam’ initiative.”
In addition to the soldiers, the Deepawali celebration in Mana was also attended by the Garhwal Scouts battalion commanding officer Colonel Shantanu Roy, commanding officer of Military Police Colonel SD Pokhriyal, Subedar Major Bhagwati Prasad of Garhwal Scouts, Bharatiya Janata Party district head Mohan Prasad Thapliyal along with various public representatives and members of the party.