Dehradun, Nov. 9 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tribute to the martyrs of the Uttarakhand statehood movement and said his commitment to the state's development stems from a long-standing emotional bond with the state and faith in its people.

Uttarakhand was formed on the 9th of November in the year 2000. It was delineated from the northern regions of Uttar Pradesh.

"I also pay tribute to the martyrs of Uttarakhand who sacrificed their lives during the movement... You all know how deep my attachment to Uttarakhand is," PM Modi said, addressing the statehood silver jubilee celebrations at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun.

Notably, on September 1, 1994, the Khatima firing incident took place, considered a da...