A delegation of Uttarakhand Punjabi Mahasabha today paid a courtesy visit to Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Smt. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan at her official residence, Yamuna Colony.
The delegation discussed several important issues related to their community with the Assembly Speaker. In the meeting, information was given about the various social works being done by the community in the state of Uttarakhand, and the contribution of the Punjabi community in the socio-cultural development of the state was also highlighted.
The delegation, while highlighting the cultural importance of their major festivals Lohri and Baisakhi, requested that these festivals be recognized as public holidays in the state. They said that while on one hand these festivals are celebrated specially in many parts of India, the non-declaration of holidays on these in Uttarakhand has been a matter of expectation in the society for a long time.
Assembly Speaker Smt. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan listened to the sentiments of the delegation seriously and while appreciating the positive contribution of the community, assured that their demands would be properly placed at the concerned levels. He said that the multi-cultural diversity of Uttarakhand is the real strength of the state, and the Punjabi community is an integral part of this identity.
The delegation included Mr. Harish Narang, Mr. Subhash Kohli, Mr. Rakesh Oberoi, Mr. Mannu Kochar, Mr. Prem Kashyap, Mr. Anil Marwah, Dr. Kuldeep Dutta, Mr. Vipul Dawar, Mr. Rajiv Beri, Mr. Gagan Sethi, Dr. Harish Kohli, Mr. Satish Kapoor, Mr. Ashish Nagrath, Mr. Neeraj Kohli, Mr. Gopal Puri, Mr. Vinay Kohli, Mr. Prateek Kalia, Mr. Kewal Krishan Lamba, Mr. Pradeep Kohli, Mr. Manish Gera, Mr. Sanjeev Vij, Mr. Naresh Chandok, Mr. Jitendra Kharbanda, Mr. Raju Gulati, Mr. Vijay Kohli, Mr. Lal Chand Sharma, Mr. Arun Kharbanda and Mr. Rakesh Malhotra among other dignitaries
