Amritsar celebrates triumph of good over evil with joy

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday took part in Dasehra celebrations at the Dasehra Ground, Durgiana Temple, urging people to follow the path of righteousness to wipe out social maladies in the state.

Addressing an estimated crowd of 25,000 people, the Chief Minister said that the festival of Dasehra inspires us to remain grounded, keep our anger under control and stay away from hate. He said that these three factors became the reason for the decline of even the most intelligent person, demon King Ravana. Mann said that the festival also teaches us to remain with brotherhood, adding that he gave a clarion call to people for eradicating the social maladies to restore the state to its pristine glory. He appealed to the people to collectively celebrate this joyous occasion by rededicating themselves for the promotion of peace, amity and brotherhood in the state.

Two injured in pandemonium

Meanwhile, overcrowding during the Ravan Dahan ceremony created minor panic as people standing near the front barricades started rushing back as Ravan was set on fire. The pandemonium resulted in two people suffering minor injuries while several retreated, overtaken by the turn of events. The crowd was controlled by the temple management and police personnel and the situation was brought under control in time.

Denying lapses on the part of the temple management in making arrangements at the Durgiana temple ground, former cabinet minister and Durgiana Management Committee president Laxmi Kanta Chawla said that appeals were made for the crowd to step back as Ravan Dahan ceremony was about to commence. “Announcements were made asking people to stay away from the barricades. There was no lapse on the part of the management as the crowd started swelling within minutes. We are here to help those who received injuries or got hurt.”

The grounds right behind the temple complex host Dussehra celebrations every year with a large crowd present. This year though, the crowd was less than in the previous years, but due to the panic caused during the Ravan Dahan ceremony, many were seen leaving the venue in haste.

Political bigwigs take to stage at Dasehra festivities

Former Deputy CM and senior Congress leader Om Prakash Soni was part of the Dasehra celebrations held by Shri Durgiana Committee and Panch Ratan Shri Krishna Mandir Committee, Narayangarh Cheharta. Soni burnt the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad, as he addressed the ceremony. He said that Ravana was a symbol of evil and that is why he has been set on fire for ages. “Evil always has an end, people should always follow the path of truth. People should kill the Ravana in their minds and follow the path of honesty and truth,” he said.

MP Gurjeet Aujla celebrated Dussehra in Verka at a function organised by Dinesh Bassi, former chairman of the Improvement Trust. In his address, Bassi said that in today’s time, it is important to keep children connected to one’s culture. “Punjab is the land of Gurus but today, it has become a river of drugs. At present, there is a state government in the form of a tyrannical Ravana in Punjab, which is not maintaining law and order and there are no facilities at the ground level. Daughters-in-law and daughters are not safe and some people are making people fight in the name of religion for their own benefit. But truth always wins over falsehood and the public also has to make truth win and give a befitting reply to such elements,” he said.

Aujla also congratulated people on Dussehra and said that the festival gives a message to people that truth has always won and will always win.