AHEAD of Raksha Bandhan, the capital city Raipur witnessed a deeply moving celebration of affection, gratitude and the shared resolve to protect the nation as sisters of Chhattisgarh tied rakhis on the wrists of security personnel at the ‘Sneh Ki Dor’ programme held at Balbeer Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in the state. The programme brought together personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), IndoTibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Army and Chhattisgarh Police. Around 800 personnel received rakhis from school students, speciallyabled girls, Swachhata Didis, Drone Didis, Lakhpati Didis and women from self-help groups, who expressed their gratitude for the personnel’s service to the nation and society. The most poignant moment came when Madhuri Verma, wife of late Sub-Inspector Yugal Kishore Verma, who was martyred in a Naxal encounter in 2017, a day before Raksha Bandhan, tied a rakhi on the wrist of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Moved by the gesture, Chief Minister teared up and paid homage to the supreme sacrifice of Shri Verma, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to stand by the families of martyrs. Sai said that rakhi is not merely a bond of affection between a brother and sister, but also a symbol of trust and belonging shared with a martyr’s family. Chhattisgarh can never forget the sacrifice of its brave personnel or the contribution and suffering of their families, he said.

 

He added that the bond of standing with them in every moment of happiness and sorrow, while safeguarding their dignity and self-respect, would remain unbreakable. Sai said that security forces have displayed extraordinary courage in the fight to free the country and Chhattisgarh from the terror of Naxalism, with many personnel making the supreme sacrifice. He said that the march towards ending Naxalism in Chhattisgarh is the greatest gift of security and confidence for the State’s women. A time is now approaching when no woman will lose her husband to Naxal violence, no mother will have to lose her son and no sister will live with the fear of whether her brother will return home safely. Rajya Sabha Member Laxmi Verma, MLAs Sunil Soni and Purandar Mishra, State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Chairman Dr Rampratap Singh, Chhattisgarh State Telghani Development Board Chairman Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Chhattisgarh Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation Chairman Lokesh Kanwaria, Mayor Meenal Choubey, Zila Panchayat President Naveen Agrawal, Collector Dr Gaurav Singh, other public representatives, security officers and personnel, school students, members of women’s self-help groups and representatives of various social organisations participated in the programme.