The shadow of recent run-ins between the West Bengal governor and the Mamata Banerjee government fell on theRepublicDayprogramme here, when Jagdeep Dhankhar and the chief minister came face to face at the venue.
Though Banerjee greeted Dhankhar when the latter approached her after reaching the venue, the natural warmth of the Trinamool Congress supremo was clearly missing.
Banerjee was seen not getting up from her chair until the governor came close to her.
It was seen that at one point of time the CM turned her face away when Dhankhar was seen saying something to her.
At the photo session, Banerjee kept a distance from the governor and stood close to state assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee with whom Dhankhar had a spat on the previousday.
While speaking to the media after paying floral tributes at the statue of B R Ambedkar on the Assembly premises on National VotersDay, Dhankhar not only castigated the speaker and the chief minister but also described the political condition in West Bengal as “horrible and frightening”
Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana on Wednesday unfurled the national flag at official residence here on the occasion of 73rdRepublicDay.
The flag hoisting ceremony at his Krishna Menon Marg residence was attended by several apex court officials and security personnel, an official said.
The CJI attended theRepublicDay Parade and was seen wearing a shawl gifted to him by a delegation from Nagaland.
In the 73rdRepublicDay Parade, which was scaled down in view of the Covid pandemic, the country displayed its military might and vibrant cultural heritage on Rajpath with the grandest flypast with 75 aircraft to mark the 'Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav' celebrations.
Seventeen Jaguar combat jets creating a figure of 75 in the sky was the spectacular finale of theRepublicDayparade in the 75thyear of Independence, but the weather played a spoilsport as several formations during the flypast – the most eagerly awaited part of the parade - were barely visible from the ground due to the cloud cover.
Manipur Governor, La Ganeshan unfurled the tricolour at Imphal amid a "boycott call" and a "shutdown" called by at least seven insurgent groups but no violent incident was reported during the celebrations. In Assam, where for the first time in four-decades, no militant issued a boycott call, people were seen on the streets moving with tricolours in their vehicles and many hoisted the flag inside their residential compunds, office premises and joined the government functions. The Covid-19 safety protocols were enforced during the celebrations.
Amid the controversy at the recently-held Dharam Sansad in Haridwar, which came under fire from multiple quarters for alleged hate speech, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor shared a two-year-old post comparing Hinduism and Hindutva, saying that they are not equal and that his message is "still relevant."
BritishPrime Minister Boris Johnson has extended greetings to the people ofIndiaon theRepublicDay as he focussed his message on the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) talks and theIndia-UKvaccinepartnership.
Johnson said he is proud of the friendship shared by the two “diverse democracies” and looked forward to fortifying the strongbondover the next 75 years and beyond.
He said: "The UK andIndiaare tied by deepbondsthat span through the generations and across some of the greatest modern day challenges we have faced. That is why I want to send my best wishes on behalf of the United Kingdom to the people ofIndia, and to all theBritishIndians in the UK, onIndia’sRepublicDay.
"As two diverse democracies, I am proud of our strong friendship, demonstrated by the launch of free trade negotiations this month and our partnership manufacturing the Oxford-Astra Zenecavaccine. I look forward to fortifying thosebondsas we bring our ambitions, people and economies together to prosper for the next 75 years and beyond.”
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that Below Poverty Line (BPL) families will get a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre for up to 10 litres of petrol per month from Wednesday.
Unfurling the Tricolour at Dumka Police Line on the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day, Soren said that his government is working tirelessly to build a Jharkhand that is free from fear, hunger, corruption and extremism.
On the completion of two years of the JMM-led government in the state, the chief minister had last month announced the subsidy on petrol for BPL families, which came into effect from Republic Day.
"From today onwards, poor two-wheeler owners can get a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre for up to 10 litres every month under the CM-SUPPORTS scheme. The amount will be directly credited to their bank accounts," he said.
Though not many have publicly joined the issue, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday saw the irony in the Congress not seeking his services even when the nation recognises his contribution as Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh made a cryptic tweet on Narendra Modi government bestowing the third highest civilian award on the Congress leader, exposing the further widening chasm.
"We are happy that our father is being conferred with the Padma Shri award. We feel the pain of his absence at this moment. He lived for the society and wrote for the society," says Manasa, daughter of Kannada litterateur Late Siddalingaiah who has been awarded Padma Shri this year for his contribution to literature and education.
"People have loved him and now the government has recognized it," she said.
Siddalingaiah ushered a new lease of life into Dalit movement in the state through his literature. His poems went on to become anthems of Dalit activism and they continue to be voices of the oppressed in the society. Siddalingaiah died due to Covid related complications in June. He is one of the founding members of Dalith Sangharsha Samithi (DSS).
Amai Mahalinga Naik, another achiever to be conferred with Padma Shri from the state, said, "four years ago when I started digging atop a hill for water source, people laughed at me and chided that how will I find water source there while it is not found on ground. I made up my mind to dig a tunnel despite what people said in the name of god. I got the water as well as a national award. I am happy."
Mahalinga Naika is from Amai of Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. He has constructed seven tunnels atop a hill and transformed two-acre barren land gifted by his landlord into a lush farm. His endeavour has been telecast in the 'Water Warrior' series on Doordarshan. Since he had to earn his bread every day, Mahalinga Naik used to go to work for half day and for another half day and during night he dug 25 to 30 meter long seven tunnels single-handedly.
Sivananda, whothe government says is a 125-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, is perhaps the oldest Padma award winner in the history of the country and is described as 'Yog Sevak', who continues to serve all around him, despite his humble origins. He has been practising and teaching yoga at Kashi's ghats for over three decades.
The tableau of the Ministry of Education and Skill Development showcased key aspects of the new National Education Policy (NEP) through the theme 'Vedas to Metaverse' during the 73rd Republic Day parade.
From skillfully made pots, carefully sculpted sandalwood miniatures to hand-woven sarees, Karnataka's rich tradition of handicrafts was on grand display at the Republic Day parade on Wednesday.
The religious centre of Varanasi, with the recently inaugurated Kashi Vishwanath Dham, was the centrepiece of Uttar Pradesh's tableau in the 73rd Republic Day Parade on Rajpath.
Amid sub-zero temperatures following days of widespread snow and rains, the 73rd Republic Day was celebrated across Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday with a grand parade.
The tableau titled 'Tamil Nadu in Freedom Struggle' depicted V O Chidambaranar, 'Mahakavi' Subramania Bharathi, Rani Velu Nachiyar, and Maruthu Pandiyar brothers, who were executed by the East India Company.
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The march is followed by the tableau of the IAF.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel celebrate Republic Day at 11,000 feet in minus temperatures in Mana valley of Uttarakhand.
President Ram Nath Kovind presents the Ahok Chakra posthumously to ASI Babu Ram, who died in an anti-terror operation.
Flanked by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and defence chiefs, PM Modi pays tribute to soldiers at the war memorial in New Delhi
The Republic Day Parade ceremony will commence with Prime Minister Modi visiting the National War Memorial. He will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath, a government release sated.
Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Rajpath to witness the parade, it added.
The parade is set to begin at 10:30 am as opposed to the earlier timing of 10 am. The reason, the government says, is to "provide better visibility to the parade and flypast."
The coverage will start on all Doordarshan channels across the country from 9:15 am till the end of events at Rajpath. Live coverage will also be available on DD National, DD News YouTube channels and on NewsOnAir App and websites.