PM Modi has done work of protecting Kedarnath temple: MoS Ashwini Choubey

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unveiling the redevelopment projects at Kedarnath, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Friday said the former has done the work of protecting the holy shrine.

Choubey remembered the 2013 Uttarakhand floods that damaged the Kedarnath temple in the Rudraprayag district. He said he lost his family members in the tragedy.

Speaking to ANI, Choubey said, "I was the witness of the disaster that happened in Kedarnath. 17 people of our family went there but unfortunately only half of us could return. Narendra Modi who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat then and Rajnath Singh played a great role in our safe return."

"We had seen how the samadhi sthal of Aadi Guru Shankaracharya was submerged. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the development of Kedarnath Valley and its surrounding areas is being done. This splashed a new enthusiasm among the people of the country," he stated.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader slammed the Congress-led UPA government for not doing the redevelopment work of the Kedarnath shrine.

"The previous government had failed to do the work. At that time the whole country was convinced that we would never be able to go to Kedarnath Dham. But, it is the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government that is getting all the work done. The Prime Minister has done the work of protecting Kedarnath Dham," he added.

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the statue of Adi Shankaracharya on the premises of the Kedarnath Temple in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.

The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 Uttarakhand floods.

The Prime Minister during his visit to Kedarnath also offered prayers at the ancient temple and inaugurated various re-development projects worth Rs 130 crores. This is Prime Ministers' second visit to the temple during his term; the last time he visited the Kedarnath temple was in 2019.

Located on the bank of the Mandakini river, Kedarnath Temple is the of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as 'Char Dham' which also include Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath. Built in the 8th century A.D. by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya, Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

( With inputs from ANI )

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