Security arrangements beefed up across India for I-Day
New Delhi: Ahead of the Independence Day on Sunday security arrangements have been tightened in several parts of the country. An impregnable ground-to-air security setup was put in place in New Delhi to pre-empt any
terror strike. Keeping security in mind, handbags, camera, pager, cell phones and any other
electronic item were not allowed to be taken inside the venue of the celebrations. "It is
important for the invitees to bring an identification proof in order to establish their identity,"
said Satyendra Garg, Joint Commissioner of Traffic Police.
The authorities have put in place particularly tight security arrangements in Srinagar, where
separatists have called for a boycott of the celebrations amid a two month long agitation.
"The security here is very tight. Area domination drills are conducted day and night and extra
pickets have been set up. Everything is kept in mind while arranging for the security of the
region. And like every year, the CRPF and civil police are deployed for the security," said
Prabakar Triparti, spokesperson of the CRPF.
Security has also been stepped up in the insurgency hit northeastern states, where militant
organisations have traditionally observed shutdown to mark the day and carried out blasts in
the run up to the celebrations.
Security forces have been deployed at public places like railway stations, bus stands in
Agartala. Passengers are being frisked at various entry and exit points on the national
highway.
Paramilitary forces, accompanied by bomb squads and sniffer dogs, have mounted vigil.
Meanwhile, security officials in Jammu and Kashmir have been equipped with new
head-to-toe protective gear to protect them against stone pelting mobs.
The riot gear shields all vital organs of the body, and consists of abdomen guard over
trousers, thick foam-stuffed shin guards, arm-guards, helmet and a torso guard that covers
the shoulders.
The officials hope that the equipment introduced by the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) would decrease the number of casualties during the ongoing unrest.
"In the last one week, 510 soldiers have been injured during agitations. If we talk about last
two years, then more than 2,500 CRPF personnel have been injured. The CRPF has
introduced the gear that is to be put on over the uniform, which provides protection to large
part of body," said Prabhakar Tripathi.
The CRPF has donned their soldiers with new protective gear in the most sensitive areas
such as Srinagar, and its adjoining areas.
"We can say that the CRPF has given new gear to those soldiers who are deployed in the
areas which are more prone to stone-pelting or where stone-pelting takes place the most,"
added Tripathi. It was conceived and designed by CRPF headquarters in Delhi.
Scores of CRPF personnel have sustained injuries in violent protests, mainly in the head and
legs, and more than 40 vehicles have also been damaged.
The curfew was imposed since July 31 in ten districts of the valley, including Srinagar,
following violent protests and clashes between stone-pelting locals and the security personnel
in which at least 50 people lost their lives.
The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a surge of violence that has led the authorities to impose
frequent curfews in several parts of the state.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hoists tricolour on the 64th I-Day at Red Fort.
After unfurling the Tricolor, Dr. Manmohan Singh addresses the nation.
On arrival at Lahore Gate of Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by the Defence
Minister AK Antony, and Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju.
The Defence Secretary will introduce General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Major
General Manvender Singh to the Prime Minister. The GOC Delhi Area will then conduct the
Prime Minister to the Saluting Base where a combined inter-services and police guard will
present general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, Dr. Manmohan Singh will inspect the
guard of honour.
After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the Prime Minister will proceed to the ramparts where
he will be greeted by Defence Minister, the Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Army
Staff General VK Singh, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma and Chief of Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik.
The GOC Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais to unfurl the National Flag.
The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronize with the 21 gun salute fired by the valiant
gunners of the elite 299 Field Regiment. The battery will be commanded by Lt Col Hemant
Kumar Sah and the Gun Position Officer will be Sub (AIG) Gurappadu R.
The National Flag Guard comprising 32 men and one officer each from Army, Navy Air
Force and Delhi Police will present Rashtriya Salute at the time of unfurling of the National
Flag by the Prime Minister.
Wing Commander J Christopher will command the Guards. The Naval Contingent for
National Flag Guard will be commanded by Lt Cdr Amit Sood, the Army contingent by
Captain Vikram Singh and Delhi Police contingent by Additional DCP B Shanker Jaiswal.
The Air Force Band Number 6 will play National Anthem when the National Guard presents
'Rashtriya Salute' while unfurling of the National Flag by the Prime Minister. All Service
personnel in uniform will stand and salute. The Air Force Band will be commanded by
Warrant Officer PN Yadav.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of one officer and 24 men
each from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. The Guard of Honour will be positioned
directly in front of the National Flag across the moat below the ramparts.
After the Prime Minister's address, school children and NCC Cadets will sing National
Anthem.
About 700 Junior Division Cadets of the National Cadet Corps from Delhi Directorate
comprising Army, Navy and Air Force wings are participating in the flag hoisting ceremony
this year.
The cadets will also participate in the singing of patriotic songs along with school children.
Three thousand five hundred girl students from 39 government and government-aided schools
under the Directorate of Education, National Capital Territory of Delhi will sing the National
Anthem.
They will also sing patriotic songs in different regional languages before the start of the
Independence Day ceremony. These children dressed up in red, saffron, green and white
colour will re-create the image of Red Fort and the National Flag.
On the eve of 64th Independence Day, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil appealed to
Maoists on Saturday to give up the violent path and come to the negotiating table to work out
a solution.
"The proponents of extreme ideologies and the followers of Left Wing Extremism must
abandon their path of violence. I call on them to join national efforts for growth and
development," said President Patil in her public address on the eve of Independence Day.
Stating that terrorism poses the biggest threat to global peace, President Patil gave a call to all
nations that to defeat this menace of terrorism they should come together and ensure that
terrorists do not get sanctuaries and financial assistance.
Maintaining that protracted development efforts will be required in the Naxal-affected areas,
the President expressed hope that "everybody, including the civil society, will come forward
and move the left wing extremists in this direction."
The President said nation-building demands the ability to work diligently and patiently, where
the reward is the growth of the nation rather than personal promotion and it requires unity of
purpose and the ability to focus on issues which unite.
"It requires a spirit of conciliation. This is possible when dialogue is chosen as the channel for
communication. By listening to each other, respecting each other's viewpoint and
understanding one another, we can address issues before us," she said.
Describing terrorism to be the biggest threat to global peace, stability and security, President
Patil said peace was essential, if prosperity was to be achieved and to defeat terror, all
nations of the world must work collectively. "...so that terrorists have no sanctuaries, no
training grounds, no access to financial resources, no infrastructural support, and no
defenders of their ideology."
She said that powers have been given to those in government for formulating policies and for
implementation on the field and it should always be remembered that this power must be used
in a responsible manner.
President said that "zero tolerance towards corruption" and "working with the highest
standards of public service will definitely result in efficient governance systems and will have a
multiplier effect on development and growth."
Pointing out the decline in social consciousness and wealk family bonds, the President said:
"Strong family bonds are weakening. Social consciousness is on the decline. Some social
evils persist. This must change. Today is the best opportunity when ground-breaking
achievements along with a moral and ethical renaissance can take place."
She said the nation was at a historic phase when the world is shifting course and it is
impacting the country's economy, polity, trade, commerce, education and pace of life.
"In this era of transformation, India definitely cannot lag behind. Our entire effort must be to
ensure that there is overall development in which all people prosper," Patil said.
The President said that on the economic front, the country is ranked as the world's fourth
largest economy based on purchasing power parity and is one of the fastest growing.
"The resilience of our economy was evident during the global financial crisis which we
weathered, better than many other countries. The future holds great potential and promise.
However, many issues demand attention and the way we address them is important," said
Patil.
The President also said that empowerment through education is important.
She said that it opens many doors of opportunity and the Right to Education Act has made
free and compulsory primary education for children a fundamental right.
"It is important that secondary education is also universalised, as we seek to increase
enrolment levels in higher education. This will provide the 'brain power' for the nation," said
President Patil.
Drawing attention towards the growing significance of modern technology on general life in
the country, the President said: "We have seen the impact of mobile telephone connectivity
even in our villages. Innovation and invention were always given weightage as agents of
change but perhaps never as high as now. The categorisation of nations as rich and poor,
developed and developing may well be overtaken by a new definition of those nations that
innovate rapidly, as opposed to those which do so on a lower scale."
"To be in the forefront of cutting edge technologies, research and development in all fields
must be encouraged and pursued in the country," she added.
Ms. Patil said the country's agriculture requires a fresh perspective, with new and radical
ideas to steer it towards a second Green Revolution, so that agriculture production,
productivity and profitability are increased.
