Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is a batsman sent in to bat in the last over of a Twenty-20 match and expressed confidence that he will rise to the expectations of the people.
"Using cricket terminology, I can say Dhami is a batsman sent in to bat in the last over of a 20-20 match. He is a wonderful batsman. People of Uttarakhand have pinned their hopes on him. I am confident that he will rise to their expectations," Singh, who was in Uttarakhand on Friday to unveil a statue and memorial of Veer Chandra Garhwali at the latter's village Peethsain, said in a tweet.
Dhami became chief minister of Uttarakhand in July, succeeding Tirath Singh Rawat. The state goes to Assembly polls early next year.
Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali, a Havildar Major in the erstwhile Royal Garhwal Rifles, is regarded across Uttarakhand as a hero of the "Peshawar kand" of 1930 when defying the British, he refused to open fire at unarmed Pathans who were fighting for India's freedom.
Later, accompanied by Dhami, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and other dignitaries, Singh unveiled the statue of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali and addressed a gathering.
"It is only 20 years since the creation of Uttarakhand but its history and traditions are centuries old. Songs of the bravery of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali, Tilu Rauteli and Madho Singh Bahndari are sung in every village of Uttarakhand," he said.
He said it was a happy coincidence that the statue of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali is being unveiled at a time when the country is celebrating the 75 years of its independence as Amrit Mahotsav.
"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi works are being on the mission mode. Ex-soldiers had to wait for 40 years for One Rank-One Pension but it was implemented when Modi became Prime Minister," he said.
In view of the strategic significance of Uttarakhand, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building 1000 km of roads in the state which will be beneficial not just in terms of national security but also boost the state's economic development, the defence minister said.
Black-topping of road up to the last Indian village of Mana is underway which will soon be completed.
The Mansarovar Yatra has also become easier now through the Lipulekh pass. The route is important from both strategic and economic points of view.
"The road will also help bring India-Nepal even closer. Nepal is not just a friendly country for us, our relations are familial. India has always been a worshipper of peace but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has become of a worshipper of development too," he said.
Singh also distributed cheques of interest-free loans up to Rs five lakh among women self-help groups under the Deendayal Upadhyay Yojana and tool kits among the beneficiaries of Ghasyari welfare scheme.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also launched a scheme under which one open gym each in a public place in all the 7,795 gram panchayats of the state will be opened.
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