Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday planted paddy in a field in Khatima and paid tribute to the "hard work and sacrifice" of farmers.
In a post on X, he said that farmers are "not only the backbone of our economy but also the carrier of culture and tradition".
"I remembered the old days by planting paddy in my field in Nagara Terai of Khatima and experiencing the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the farmers. The food providers are not only the backbone of our economy but are also the carriers of culture and tradition," Mr Dhami wrote and shared pictures from the field.
Before the Champawat assembly constituency, Mr Dhami had represented the Khatima seat twice. He reportedly moved to Khatima after Class 5.
In the pictures, he was seen in a muddy and waterlogged rice field, with a stick and the reins of two oxen that were ploughing the field in his hands.
The BJP leader was also seen planting rice seedlings in the field.
On the occasion, Mr Dhami also offered prayers to the deities - Bhoomiya (the god of land), Indra (the god of rain), and Megh (the god of clouds) - through Uttarakhand's rich cultural folk tradition "Hudkiya Bol".
Mr Dhami on Friday also performed a 'puja' at Har Ki Pauri on the banks of the Ganga to mark the completion of four years in office.
The 49-year-old also addressed a BJP rally to mark the occasion and highlighted the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the crackdown on land encroachment, and action against the paper leak mafia as the major achievements of his government over the past four years.
He stated that alongside the overall development of the state, his government remains committed to preserving its cultural values and demographic balance.
Mr Dhami was sworn in as chief minister for the first time in July 2021, replacing Tirath Singh Rawat. He was sworn in again as chief minister in March 2022 after the state assembly polls.
