New Delhi, March 25 -- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday attended a mass kanya pujan programme at the Sanatan Dharm Mandir complex in Prem Nagar, Dehradun, where 1,100 girls were worshipped during Chaitra Navratri celebrations. At the event, he linked the religious observance to the state government's welfare framework for girls, outlining support measures spanning education, employment and social assistance.

Dhami said Chaitra Navratri was not only a festival of faith but also an occasion to reinforce values of respect, service and social responsibility. He said the practice of kanya pujan reflected the place accorded to girls in Indian tradition and should translate into a wider social commitment to ensuring edu...