Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami pays emotional tribute to former CM B.C. Khanduri

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday paid emotional tributes to former Chief Minister Major General (Retd.) Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, calling his demise an irreparable loss for the state.

Dhami, who was attending the Central Zonal Council meeting in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, immediately returned to Dehradun after learning about Khanduri’s passing on Tuesday.

Upon arrival, the Chief Minister went directly to Khanduri’s residence in Basant Vihar, where he offered floral tributes and met grieving family members to express condolences.

The Uttarakhand government announced three days of state mourning and declared a one-day public holiday as a mark of respect for the veteran BJP leader and former Union minister. The government also directed that the last rites be conducted with full police honours.

On Wednesday morning, Dhami again visited Khanduri’s residence and joined the funeral procession. In an emotional moment, the Chief Minister also shouldered the mortal remains during the procession.

The funeral procession later reached the BJP headquarters before proceeding to Haridwar, where the last rites were performed in the presence of party leaders, supporters and family members.

B.C. Khanduri was widely respected for his clean public image, administrative discipline and contribution to Uttarakhand’s development and governance. Leaders across political parties have expressed condolences over his demise.