Bhopal, Aug. 9 -- In a significant gesture, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday tied a rakhi to a tree to celebrate Raksha Bandhan.

Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, the Union Minister urged the countrymen to take a pledge to protect the environment.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Today is Raksha Bandhan. Sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist and her brother takes a pledge to protect her. However, now sisters have become so strong and powerful that many sisters are capable of protecting their brothers. But this festival should become a festival of protecting the country along with brothers and sisters. It should also become a festival of protecting the world. It should also become a festival of protecting the environment....