Our country is built on love: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hails rat-hole mining experts for Silkyara tunnel rescue

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Pic/PTI

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday cited remarks by rat-hole mining experts, who played a key role in the rescue of 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel, to underscore that the country is built on love, reported news agency PTI.

All the 41 workers were rescued on Tuesday evening after 17 days of a multi-agency operation conducted by central and state governments. A 12-member team of rat-hole mining technique experts were called on Sunday to do the drilling after an American auger machine came across hurdles while clearing the rubble, reported PTI.

In a post on X in Hindi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "When big auger machines became ineffective in trying to rescue the labourer brothers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel of Uttarkashi, an indigenous technique of manual digging, which is called rat-hole mining, had to be implemented."

A total of 12 rat-hole miners risked their lives and completed the rescue operation in just 24 hours, she said.

"One of them, Mohammad Irshad, has prayed for everyone that love is preserved in the country and humans are loved as humans. When Nasir Hussain, the second-rat hole miner, saw the first worker among those trapped on the other side of the collapsed tunnel, he immediately went near him and hugged him. This is love. Our country is built on this love. Jai Hind," Priyanka Gandhi said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), in a post on X, hailed the rat-hole mining team and highlighted the diversity among them.

"Proud of our working class heroes. Lesson for communal bigots -- unity not communal division bedrock of success," the CPI(M) said.

Meanwhile, the AIIMS-Rishikesh on Thursday declared all 41 workers who were evacuated from Silkyara tunnel fit to return home, reported PTI.

Briefing the media here on their health condition, Dr Ravikant said the workers were thoroughly examined and their blood test, X-ray, and ECG reports were normal, reported PTI.

"They are physically normal and clinically stable. We have given them clearance to return home," he said, reported PTI.

The workers were rescued from the tunnel Tuesday night after a long-drawn operation, reported PTI.

The doctor said as they have come out of a tunnel after 17 days, the workers might need acclimatisation, reported PTI.

They have been advised to go to the nearest hospital after two weeks for a check-up, reported PTI.

Doctors from AIIMS-Rishikesh will stay connected with the workers through tele-medicine to monitor their mental health for the next few weeks, he said in reply to a question, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)