New Delhi: India on Monday marked 70 years of its independence with peace and joy but the celebrations were marred by bombings in Manipur and a militant attack in Kashmir that killed a para-military officer.

As the nation immersed itself in patriotic fervour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and chief ministers across the state listed achievements of their governments in their Independence Day addresses watched by millions.

Many of the governments announced a string of measures for their people including a plan by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to hike minimum wages in Delhi by about 50 per cent.

The main function of the day was, as every year since Independence in 1947, held in Delhi where people in large numbers assembled in front of the historic Red Fort to listen to their Prime Minister on a windy morning.

Among other things in his more than 90-minute address to the nation, Modi urged Indians to fight social and religious divisions and make the country stronger.

“Every citizen should fight against the differences in the society on the basis of caste and class. We have to take everyone together, be it Dalits, tribals, oppressed and people from the financially weaker section,” he said.

Modi’s bete noire, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Prime Minister to implement his wage hike scheme throughout the country.

“Those who have less in life should have more in law. So we have decided to increase the minimum wages in Delhi by about 50 per cent,” Kejriwal told a packed Chhatrasal Stadium in the national capital.

In Delhi, amid terror threats, the authorities had thrown thick security cover in and around the city, including the area around the Red Fort.

Snipers were deployed and anti-aircraft guns installed around the historic fort, and much of Delhi was turned into a garrison town.

Security was also heightened in the restive Kashmir Valley. But militants still attacked paramilitary forces in an old city area and killed a senior Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer, police said. Two militants were also gunned down in the gunfight.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called for peace in the Kashmir Valley which has been on the boil since July 8 killing of a rebel commander. It triggered widespread unrest that has left 56 people dead and thousands injured.

Srinagar wore a deserted look following a shutdown called by separatist leaders in the valley which has remained under curfew for much of the past five weeks.

In the northeastern state of Manipur, three security personnel and two girls were injured as two bombs exploded on deserted streets of Imphal amid a shutdown called by militants, officials and residents said.

In the neighbouring Mizoram, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said the state “is the most peaceful in the country heading for a steady progress of development”.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar of Tripura, also in the northeast, lashed out at the central government for what he called its attempts to snatch all powers of the state governments and for trying to force the states to beg for aid.

In Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recalled the Indian Freedom Movement, services of the freedom fighters and sacrifices of the martyrs for India’s freedom from the British rule.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announced a six per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners from January 1 this year.

In Haryana, Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki felt giddy at the Independence Day parade due to hot and humid conditions after he unfurled the national flag.

Down south, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked the people to be watchful against fundamentalists and sought public support in the stand against subversive thoughts and activities.

In the Karnataka capital Bengaluru, patriotic fervour gripped the city as thousands of people, including women and children attired in colourful clothes, thronged celebrations for the Independence Day anniversary.

In Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said, “Freedom does not mean just the right to speak, write… True freedom rests in economic freedom.”

The Independence Day was also celebrated in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

(IANS)

Members of JD(U) on Monday protested in Bangalore, against the atrocities on Dalits on different parts of the country.

The party demanded strict action against Hindutva forces, for using violence against the community.

Dr. Nadgowda, President JD(U), Syed Mahboob, Minority President, RA Janab, Bangalore city President, Ashwath Narayan, Sundarappa, and more than 200 people participated in the protest.

New Delhi: Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) held a massive protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar here terming the incident of thrashing of Dalits by the cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow in Una of Gujarat. The aftermath of this inhumanly act wherein the Dalits were stripped, flogged, bound and paraded on accusations that they had killed a cow for skinning has triggered protests all over India.

While addressing the gathering in the dharna held in the national capital, party General Secretary Elyas Muhammad Thumbe said, it is the Modi-led forces of aggressive Brahminism who should introspect with regards to the ongoing violent agitations by Dalits in Gujarat and other parts of India as it is not the question where it went wrong, but where did it go right. The discriminatory ideological oppression over Dalits which is being witnessed on Indian soil for ages must end so as to guarantee peace in the nation.

Elyas said it is time to draw the line and stand up against this divisive government at the Centre and States. The truth cannot be forgotten that Dalit, tribal and Muslim communities are exposed to grave security risk always and everywhere. Government, instead of appealing for peace to the victims of attack should chain and punish the cow vigilantes for the barbarism they commit. Cow protection cannot be a cover for the pursuit of the kind of aggressive vigilantism that is seen in different parts of the country.

In his address SDPI Delhi Pradesh President Adv. Aslam said it is now becoming RSS & BJP vs. Dalit, SC/ST, Patidars, Backward Classes, Minorities and Moderates. Gujarat is a failure in the sense that it has failed in its duty to take care of the minorities, Dalits, Adivasis and the people below the poverty line.

The dharna was participated by rights activists representing several socio-political organizations including Reetha Abraham of CRI, Manoj Kumar of INSAF, Dr. Rahul of BAMCEF, SDPI National Secretary M Rafiq Jabbar Mulla, Delhi VP Irfan Ahmed, I.A Khan, Naved Azim, Dr Nawab, Vakeel Johree, Muslehuddin, Raees Ahmed, Ghulam Ali, Mohammed Aamir, Mohammed Uzair, Danish apart from hundreds of Party cadres and members belonging to different communities.

Bengaluru: Normal life was affected today across Karnataka, including the IT capital here, with over one lakh employees of four state road transport corporations commencing an indefinite strike, seeking wage hike.

As the employees struck work since last midnight, office- goers waiting at bus stops was a common sight across the city, while thousands who had come down to Bengaluru from different parts of the state were seen stranded at Kempegowda bus stand, the city’s main bus terminal.

Commuters had started facing trouble since yesterday evening with drivers and conductors not turning up for work.

Similar reports have emerged from different parts of the state. Authorities in several districts have declared a holiday in schools and colleges.

More than one lakh employees of state transport corporations have gone on strike with about 41 demands, including a 35 per cent wage hike, while state government has offered 10 per cent increase.

Several rounds of reconciliatory meetings held between the management of state transport corporations and the unions, even at the level of Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, had failed with both sides sticking to their stand.

“We are still open for discussion with the unions. They have to come for discussion with an open mind. They will also have to understand the financial situation and reconsider their demand of 35 per cent wage hike. We are ready for discussion at the chief ministerial level,” Reddy had said.|

KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation General Secretary and All India Trade Union Congress leader H V Anantha Subbarao said, “The unions are ready for a meeting with Chief Minister. Let him call a meeting. We feel sorry that public are suffering, but our concerns should also be addressed.”

Meanwhile, stone pelting on buses was reported from different parts of the state like Hassan, Bengaluru, Ramanagara, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Koppal and Chikkamagaluru.

Transport officials said alternative arrangements are being made by giving temporary contract carriage to private operators during the strike.

In the wake of the strike, public were depending on private and own vehicles for commuting even as several commuters complained that private transporters were overcharging.

Transport officials said they have begun crackdown of private transporters who are overcharging.

(PTI)