As Kedarnath Reopens, CM Pushkar Dhami Seeks Blessings For PM Modi To ‘Fight Demons Of Pahalgam’

Kedarnath, May 2 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday paid obeisance at Kedarnath, which reopened for devotees after a six-month winter break, and said he prayed for strength for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to vanquish the "demons of Pahalgam".

Dhami said he also prayed for the prime minister's long and healthy life so that the country could take advantage of his leadership for a long time.

"I prayed to the almighty to give him (Modi) the strength to fight the demons of Pahalgam who brutally killed innocent people," the chief minister said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. It was under his prime ministership that all the reconstruction projects began in Kedarnath after the massive devastation of 2013. I prayed for his long and healthy life so that the country gets the advantage of his leadership for a long time," he told reporters as he came out of the temple.

Later, addressing a gathering outside the temple, Dhami said it was due to the keen interest of the prime minister in matters related to Kedarnath that reconstruction projects worth more than Rs 2,000 crore were undertaken at the Himalayan temple.

Once they are completed, the experience of devotees visiting Kedarnath would be even more convenient, he said.

Dhami specifically mentioned the Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway project, cleared a few months ago by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Modi, saying it would make the journey to the Himalayan temple safer and more convenient.

The chief minister said the safety of Char Dham Yatra pilgrims was the state government's top priority.

Accompanied by his wife Geeta, Dhami also welcomed the pilgrims and asked them how they had found the arrangements.

The couple also took part in a 'langar (community kitchen)', serving food to the pilgrims. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

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