Govt’s ‘cracker-free’ resolve goes up in flames

SHIMLA: Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur pressed a button and the 8 feet Ravana’s effigy blew up at the Jakhoo hills. Along with the demon king, Meghnad and Kumbhkarna too went up in flames. On Dasehra, which symbolises the victory of good over evil, Thakur urged the people to kill the demon of drug abuse.

Locals gather to witness Ravana dehan in Shimla on Tuesday. Amit Kanwar

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 8

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur pressed a button and the 8 feet Ravana’s effigy blew up at the Jakhoo hills. Along with the demon king, Meghnad and Kumbhkarna too went up in flames. On Dasehra, which symbolises the victory of good over evil, Thakur urged the people to kill the demon of drug abuse.

Crackers were used to make the effigies, which belied the state government’s claim of cracker-free festivities.

Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Chief Whip and Convener, Jan Manch, Narinder Bragta, chairman, HIMFED, Ganesh Dutt, Deputy Mayor Rakesh Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap and SP Omapati Jamwal also attended the Dasehra celebrations.

The Chief Minister said: “Dasehra inspires us to follow the path of dharma (righteousness) and truth as in the end, only truth wins.”

“Dasehra has gone high-tech with the Chief Minister burning the effigies through a remote control over the years,” said Utkarsh Chauhan and Vikran Thakar, students. “Why don’t organisers release how harmful crackers and explosives are. They should celebrate the festival the way Kullu organisers do,” they asked. In Kullu, people pull the chariot of Lord Raghunath at Dhalpur Maidan, chanting Har Har Mahadev. Crackers were used in New Shimla, Chakkar, Summer Hill, Dhalli, Vikasnagar, Kasumpati and other parts of the city. Due to the rising air pollution in the city, the state pollution regulator has been urging residents and schoolchildren to celebrate a green Diwali by saying no to crackers.

MLA burns Ravana effigy in Kangra

Kangra Congress MLA Pawan Kajal set afire the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad at the municipal stadium here in the presence of thousands of local residents to mark the festival of Dasehra.
The celebrations were organised by the local Dasehra committee. All local temples were decorated and were abuzz with activities since morning. A ‘bhandaara’ was also organised at the Hanuman temple near Chaitru on the occasion.
The festival was, however, not celebrated in Rait following the death of Sikander, an Army jawan from Ladwara, in a road accident. ocKuldeep Chauhan