News Analysis India

Tag: Republic Day 2021

  • From lack of chief guest to separate farmers’ parade, here’s how Republic Day 2021 will be different

    By Online Desk
    Every year the Republic Day is celebrated with a parade that involves a grand show of strength in front of crowds of more than a lakh including special international guests gathered to witness the extravagant display.

    But the celebrations will be quite different in 2021. 

    Like everything else, the 72nd Republic Day function has also been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the event to be scaled down.

    Here are the key changes this year:

    R-Day sans a chief guest

    Earlier, British PM Boris Johnson was invited as the chief guest for the event. But following the discovery of a new COVID-19 strain in the UK, the country went into repeated lockdowns to combat the situation and Johnson was forced to withdraw his participation.

    Social distancing

    The crowd size has come down to 25,000 this time from around 1.25 lakh in previous years. The seating will also be spaced out to maintain social distancing.

    Rafale jets 

    Two of the newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will feature in the Republic Day flypast. Each Rafale fighter will be flying in Eklavya formation and Brahmastra formation.

    First female IAF fighter pilot

    Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will be part of the Republic Day parade this year, becoming the first woman fighter pilot to participate in the ceremonial event on January 26.

    “I had been watching the Republic Day Parade on television and now I am going to be a part of it. It is a matter of pride for me,” said Bhawana to The New Indian Express.

    Bangladesh contingent

    A 122-member contingent of the Bangladesh Armed Forces (tri-services) will take part in this year’s parade as a special invitee. It is the golden jubilee year of Bangladesh’s independence following the war of 1971 in which India offered support.

    Tractor rally

    The tractor parade by agitating farmers on January 26, like the Republic Day parade at Rajpath, will feature tableaux depicting themes related to the protest against the new farm laws.

    According to the organisers, these tableaux from across states will also provide glimpses of village life, the history of the farmers’ movement in India, the role of women farmers and farming practices followed in different states. 

    Around 2,500 volunteers have been deployed to ensure that the parade remains peaceful.

    Only five people will be allowed on a tractor and strict vigil is being maintained to thwart any criminal activity. A team of ex-servicemen will keep an eye on the security situation.

    (With inputs from ENS and agencies)

  • Ladakh to make debut in Republic Day Parade on Rajpath

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: There is palpable excitement among members of the Ladakh contingent for the Republic Day Parade as the young union territory is all set to make its debut in the extravaganza on Rajpath with a beautiful tableau depicting the iconic Thikse Monastery and its cultural heritage.

    The Union Territory of Ladakh was created in 2019 after the central government bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir came into UTs.

    On Friday, during a media preview of the R-Day tableaux held here, members of the Ladakh contingent were feeling “on top of the world”.

    “Our tableau will be showcased for the first time on Rajpath in the grand parade. We had struggled to get a separate UT status and that aspiration was fulfilled in 2019 and we had celebrated it in Ladakh. And, now as an independent UT, with our own identity, we will be taking part in the ceremonial event. We feel very happy,” said Diksit Palmo, who hails from Leh.

    She is one of the five women in the 11-member contingent led by a government official.

    Palmo says she also was part of the contingent of the then state of Jammu & Kashmir in 2015, but this time, “our identity is our own”.

    The tableau prominently depicts the historic Thikse Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region.

    Artistes dressed in colourful traditional Ladakhi ‘gunchas’ interacted with reporters on Friday during the media preview of the R-Day tableaux held at Delhi Cantonment.

    Dorjay Youron, who is from Thiksey, was doubly excited to know the landmark of her hometown will be showcased on the Rajpath.

    Rinchen Dolma, another member of the contingent, said, “We are proud to represent our region with our own name — Ladakh, and not as a constituent of J&K, which also has a different identity now.”

    A total of 17 states and UTs will be represented on the Rajpath in this year’s parade through their vibrant tableaux, besides that of various ministries and the three armed forces.

    “The Ladakh tableau highlights the vision for Ladakh to be carbon-neutral, and exemplary for the world. It also showcases the Indian Astronomical Observatory, located in Hanle near Leh, one of the world’s highest sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes,” according to the tableaux details shared by the officials.

    Ladakh region is known for its unique cultural and beautiful architectural heritage and vibrant costumes and festivals and delicious food, besides scenic beauties dotted with monasteries.

    Jammu and Kashmir, however, does not figure in the list of the tableaux list released by the government.

    Sarabjeet Kaur, a Jammu native, felt sad that the new UT of J&K will not be represented this year during the Republic Day parade.

    “I am part of the Ministry of Culture’s tableau which will depict the heralding of 75th year of our Independence Day, and I am happy to be part of it. But, a bit unhappy that my state, now a UT, will not be there in the tableaux parade,” said Kaur, an artiste who will depict herself as a Kashmiri woman, dressed in a traditional costume while accompanying the ministry’s tableau.

    The Ministry of Culture’s tableau also carries a giant bust of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and men and women dressed as INA soldiers.

  • Asked countries to take appropriate steps: MEA on reports of planned protests outside missions on Republic Day

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid reports that a banned pro-Khalistan group has called for protests outside Indian missions in countries like the UK on Republic Day, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said India has asked the states to take appropriate action for ensuring the security of the mission premises.

    Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also said wherever Indian missions see that anti-India activities are taking place, they raise the issue with the government of that country and work with them.

    Asked about banned Sikh for Justice calling for a blockade of Indian missions on January 26, he said in those countries where there have been protests outside the mission posts or protests are going to take place, “we have raised the issue of security of our diplomatic mission with local authorities”.

    “The responsibility of security of diplomatic mission is of the host country. We have asked these states to take appropriate action to ensure the security of our mission and staffers,” he said.

    “Wherever our missions see that anti-India activities are taking place, this issue is raised with the government of that country and we work with them,” Srivastava said responding to a question on steps being taken by India on the support extended by Khalistanis amid farmers’ protests.

    To another question on India being invited to G7 by the UK and what would be the agenda at that summit, he said it was too early to talk about the agenda but pointed out that in these summits it is largely the priorities of the chair which are important.

    On the recent visit by Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Srivastava said the holding of the high-level meeting despite the COVID restrictions is an example of the strength of the ties.

  • Farmer unions build up for Republic Day tractor parade with village-level rallies

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Farmer unions have begun holding tractor rallies at villages in Punjab to mobilise people for their planned tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day.

    Already tractor rallies have been held in places like Nawanshahr and Gurdaspur as a build-up to the proposed January 26 event, farmer leaders said.

    More are planned over the next two days.

    “There is a great enthusiasm among people in Punjab to become part of the tractor parade,” Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said on Tuesday.

    He claimed that five to 10 tractors are ready to leave for Delhi from many villages, and in some over 50 are lined up.

    “We are fully geared up for a tractor parade. We have given a call for taking out tractor marches in all villages in the state on January 20 and 21 in view of the January 26 tractor parade,” said Kokrikalan.

    “We are taking out tractor marches to make people aware of the January 26 tractor parade,” a farmer who took part in a rally in Gurdaspur said.

    He said the aim is get the maximum participation possible for the Republic Day event to press for the repeal of the three “black laws” on farming.

    Another farmer said they wanted to let the government know that there are still many tractors left in Punjab, even after the massing of tractor-trolleys by farmers protesting at Delhi’s border.

    “We still have a large number of tractors back home that will move towards Delhi for the tractor parade,” another farmer said.

    Farmer unions have announced that they would hold the parade on Delhi’s Outer Ring Road as part of the protest against the new agri-marketing laws enacted at the Centre.

    In the Supreme Court recently, the Centre had sought an injunction against the January 26 rally or any protest that could disrupt the official celebrations that day.

    But the apex court said the police had all the authority to deal with the matter.

    Farmer unions have said they planned to hold their parade on the periphery of the national capital and would not disrupt the official Republic Day event.

    Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal said 20,000-25,000 tractors would come to Delhi from Punjab alone for the planned parade.

    Farmers with their tractors will leave for Delhi later this week, union leaders said.

    “Our batches will start moving towards Delhi from January 23 and 24,” Kokrikalan said.

    Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said their batches will head for the capital on January 20 and January 22.

    BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) vice president Harinder Kaur Bindu said women who are camping at the Delhi border and those who come later from Punjab will take part in the parade.

    “Several women will also drive tractors on January 26,” she said.

    Kokrikalan said announcements are being made from gurdwaras and from vehicles fitted with loudspeakers for mobilising people for the parade.

    Farmer leaders have earlier said their tractors would fly the national flag and also carry the flag of their organisations.

    Thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been camping at Delhi’s borders for several weeks, demanding the repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.

    They claim that the new laws would weaken the MSP system.

    But the Centre says the MSP system will remain and the new laws only provide more options for farmers to sell their produce.