After clashes&nbsp;broke out in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kasganj-clash-49-people-arrested-section-144-to-continue-30912">Kasganj city on Saturday</a>&nbsp;killing&nbsp;a young boy, the police informed on Sunday that 32 people have been sent to jail&nbsp;under charges of murder&nbsp;and&nbsp;51 people have been detained.

They further assured that the situation, which followed&nbsp;stone-pelting on a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate&nbsp;the Republic Day was now under control.&nbsp;

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32 people have been sent to jail so far under charges of murder. Besides them 51 people have been detained. Situation is completely under control. There was no incident today, police forces have been stationed to keep an eye on the situation: Sanjeev Kumar, IG <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KasganjClashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KasganjClashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/ziLLGJUxSm">pic.twitter.com/ziLLGJUxSm</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/957640994123493377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Internet services have also been suspended till 10 pm on Sunday in trouble-torn areas in western Uttar Pradesh to prevent the spread of rumours on social media.&nbsp;

The police also informed that&nbsp;one country made bomb and pistol also recovered from the residence of one of the accused.&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh&nbsp;Director General of Police (DGP),&nbsp;OP Singh&nbsp;said that drone surveillance is being conducted to maintain law and order.

&quot;Situation in Kasganj is under control. No incidents have taken place in the last few hours. Through drones we are conducting surveillance. Our priority is to maintain law and order. We had put restrictions on the internet for few hours to restrain rumours from being spread but we took this step to maintain law and order which is our utmost priority&quot;, Singh told&nbsp;

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Latest visuals from Kasganj&#39;s Nadrai gate area <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KasganjClashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KasganjClashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/yqmsJgXnZj">pic.twitter.com/yqmsJgXnZj</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/957463993198657536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Raids were also carried out at one of the accused on Sunday morning.&nbsp;

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Raids conducted at the residence of an accused in connection with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KasganjClashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KasganjClashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/1fHyhuUgrj">pic.twitter.com/1fHyhuUgrj</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/957531189199257601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said, &quot;Two cases were registered yesterday (Friday). As many as nine arrests in two cases, 40 more preventive arrests have been made. ADG Agra Zone/Commissioner Aligarh/IG Aligarh range have been camping there since yesterday (Friday), an IG-level officer, DK Thakur, has reached there from Lucknow and camping since yesterday night.&quot;

He added, &quot;Five companies of PAC and 1 RAF company had reached there (Kasganj) yesterday (Friday) along with additional civil police officers/policemen from the zone. One more company of RAF has been provided today (Saturday).&quot;

The principal secretary (home) also informed, &quot;After the peaceful cremation in the morning, some miscreants have tried to disturb peace which has been strictly dealt with. Only sporadic attempts of arson in the outskirts took place today (Saturday).&quot;

A government spokesperson said prohibitory orders still remained in effect, but did not say whether the curfew had been lifted.

A strong posse of RAF and PAC personnel have intensified vigil in the district, whose borders have been sealed to stop elements detrimental to peace from sneaking into the city.

So&nbsp;far, 50 people have been arrested in connection with the violence allegedly announced by RP Singh, Kasganj District Magistrate.

&quot;In all, 50 accused persons have been arrested. Efforts are on to arrest the rest of the accused,&quot; Singh said, adding that the figure was likely to go up.

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A youth identified as Chandan Gupta died after being hit by a bullet in a clash that broke out during an unauthorised Tiranga Bike rally by activists from ABVP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad

After clashes broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj city on Saturday killing a young boy, the police informed on Sunday that 32 people have been sent to jail under charges of murder and 51 people have been detained. They further assured that the situation, which followed stone-pelting on a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Republic Day was now under control. 32 people have been sent to jail so far under charges of murder. Besides them 51 people have been detained. Situation is completely under control. There was no incident today, police forces have been stationed to keep an eye on the situation: Sanjeev Kumar, IG #KasganjClashes pic.twitter.com/ziLLGJUxSm — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 28, 2018 × Internet services have also been suspended till 10 pm on Sunday in trouble-torn areas in western Uttar Pradesh to prevent the spread of rumours on social media. The police also informed that one country made bomb and pistol also recovered from the residence of one of the accused. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), OP Singh said that drone surveillance is being conducted to maintain law and order. "Situation in Kasganj is under control. No incidents have taken place in the last few hours. Through drones we are conducting surveillance. Our priority is to maintain law and order. We had put restrictions on the internet for few hours to restrain rumours from being spread but we took this step to maintain law and order which is our utmost priority", Singh told Latest visuals from Kasganj's Nadrai gate area #KasganjClashes pic.twitter.com/yqmsJgXnZj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 28, 2018 × Raids were also carried out at one of the accused on Sunday morning. Raids conducted at the residence of an accused in connection with #KasganjClashes pic.twitter.com/1fHyhuUgrj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 28, 2018 × Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said, "Two cases were registered yesterday (Friday). As many as nine arrests in two cases, 40 more preventive arrests have been made. ADG Agra Zone/Commissioner Aligarh/IG Aligarh range have been camping there since yesterday (Friday), an IG-level officer, DK Thakur, has reached there from Lucknow and camping since yesterday night." He added, "Five companies of PAC and 1 RAF company had reached there (Kasganj) yesterday (Friday) along with additional civil police officers/policemen from the zone. One more company of RAF has been provided today (Saturday)." The principal secretary (home) also informed, "After the peaceful cremation in the morning, some miscreants have tried to disturb peace which has been strictly dealt with. Only sporadic attempts of arson in the outskirts took place today (Saturday)." A government spokesperson said prohibitory orders still remained in effect, but did not say whether the curfew had been lifted. A strong posse of RAF and PAC personnel have intensified vigil in the district, whose borders have been sealed to stop elements detrimental to peace from sneaking into the city. So far, 50 people have been arrested in connection with the violence allegedly announced by RP Singh, Kasganj District Magistrate. "In all, 50 accused persons have been arrested. Efforts are on to arrest the rest of the accused," Singh said, adding that the figure was likely to go up.

UP violence: 32 arrested, 51 detained, say police

All 10 ASEAN leaders conveyed to India their desire for it to play a more assertive role in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region while recognising the country&#39;s growing stature in ensuring regional peace and stability.

&quot;Yes,&quot; said Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran when asked during a media briefing whether the leaders of the powerful ASEAN grouping favoured a more assertive role for India in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been ramping up its military presence.

On whether ASEAN wants India to play a more pro-active role in the Indo-Pacific in the wake of China&#39;s growing expansionism in the area, Saran said India-ASEAN relationship stands on its own. 
&quot;All the leaders conveyed their desire for a greater participation of India (in the Indo-Pacific region),&quot; she said.

The desire by the ASEAN countries for a greater role by India in the Indo-Pacific region assumes significance in the wake of rising tensions between China and a number of countries of the grouping over the South China Sea dispute.

Leaders of all 10 ASEAN member countries were here to participate at a summit meeting to mark 25 years of India- ASEAN ties and to attend India&#39;s Republic Day celebrations.

Indo-Pacific broadly refers to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions, which also include the disputed South China Sea where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei question China&#39;s claims over almost the entire waterway.

The US has also been pitching for greater Indo-US cooperation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.

Saran said all the ASEAN leaders appreciated India&#39;s positive role in the Indo-Pacific region.

A number of pressing issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to tackle threat of terrorism figured during the summit meeting as well as in bilateral talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the ASEAN leaders.

Referring to the challenge of terrorism, Saran said that ASEAN leaders emphasised on the need for concerted global efforts to contain the menace.

&quot;Terrorism does not know any boundaries. You know what is cross border terrorism, you cannot be selective in tackling terrorism.... They (ASEAN leaders) recognised the need for the menace to be fought collectively,&quot; said Saran.

She said India will host a conference on ways to counter radicalisation.

Referring to the deliberations at the Plenary session at the summit, Saran said Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered India&#39;s digital expertise and expressed readiness to set up digital villages in some of the countries as part of a pilot project.

He also said that India will host an ASEAN-India start up festival this year.

She said next year will be celebrated as the year of India-ASEAN tourism by both the sides.

India also offered 1,000 scholarships in IIT for PhD students from ASEAN countries.

Saran and several other officials of the MEA also talked about the meticulous planning that went into hosting the ASEAN leaders including choosing fabric for pillow covers and arranging for various recepies considering the food habits of the leaders.

They also talked about how External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was involved in minute details for successful hosting of leaders.

The leaders lauded India’s growth story as it was “one of fastest growing economies” and the Modi government has undertaken “amazing reforms”, said the official

All 10 ASEAN leaders conveyed to India their desire for it to play a more assertive role in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region while recognising the country's growing stature in ensuring regional peace and stability. "Yes," said Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran when asked during a media briefing whether the leaders of the powerful ASEAN grouping favoured a more assertive role for India in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been ramping up its military presence. On whether ASEAN wants India to play a more pro-active role in the Indo-Pacific in the wake of China's growing expansionism in the area, Saran said India-ASEAN relationship stands on its own. "All the leaders conveyed their desire for a greater participation of India (in the Indo-Pacific region)," she said. The desire by the ASEAN countries for a greater role by India in the Indo-Pacific region assumes significance in the wake of rising tensions between China and a number of countries of the grouping over the South China Sea dispute. Leaders of all 10 ASEAN member countries were here to participate at a summit meeting to mark 25 years of India- ASEAN ties and to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Indo-Pacific broadly refers to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions, which also include the disputed South China Sea where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei question China's claims over almost the entire waterway. The US has also been pitching for greater Indo-US cooperation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Saran said all the ASEAN leaders appreciated India's positive role in the Indo-Pacific region. A number of pressing issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to tackle threat of terrorism figured during the summit meeting as well as in bilateral talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the ASEAN leaders. Referring to the challenge of terrorism, Saran said that ASEAN leaders emphasised on the need for concerted global efforts to contain the menace. "Terrorism does not know any boundaries. You know what is cross border terrorism, you cannot be selective in tackling terrorism.... They (ASEAN leaders) recognised the need for the menace to be fought collectively," said Saran. She said India will host a conference on ways to counter radicalisation. Referring to the deliberations at the Plenary session at the summit, Saran said Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered India's digital expertise and expressed readiness to set up digital villages in some of the countries as part of a pilot project. He also said that India will host an ASEAN-India start up festival this year. She said next year will be celebrated as the year of India-ASEAN tourism by both the sides. India also offered 1,000 scholarships in IIT for PhD students from ASEAN countries. Saran and several other officials of the MEA also talked about the meticulous planning that went into hosting the ASEAN leaders including choosing fabric for pillow covers and arranging for various recepies considering the food habits of the leaders. They also talked about how External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was involved in minute details for successful hosting of leaders.

ASEAN leaders want India to be more assertive in Indo-Pacific region

The Constitution of India offers basic guidelines and principles for the efficient functioning of our nation. It dictates the fundamental political principles, powers, and duties of the government and also enumerates the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of the citizens.&nbsp;

The Constitution advocates constitutional supremacy over parliamentary supremacy and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It came into effect on January 26, 1950.

The Constitution was framed in a way to ensure that the Parliament does not have the power to override it. &nbsp;

However, one of the most controversial amendments introduced in the Constitution -- during the emergency of 1975 -- tweaked this very characteristic of the Constitution.&nbsp;

It was then when the powers of the Constitution were curtailed in the Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution. Popularly known as the Constitution (Forty second Amendment) Act of 1977, the amendment to the Constitution was initiated by the Indira Gandhi-led Indian National Congress during the emergency period.&nbsp;

The amendment was considered the most controversial in the history of India as it called for restricting the power of the Supreme Court and the High Court in pronouncing judgments complying with constitutional validity.&nbsp;

The 59th clause of the amendment snatched away several powers resting with the Supreme Court making Parliament the Supreme authority.&nbsp;

The amendment equipped the Prime Minister with uncontrolled powers to amend any section of the Constitution without any judicial intervention.&nbsp;

It transferred more powers to the Central Government, reducing the authority vested with the state governments.&nbsp;

Article 368 of the Amendment act restrained any constitutional amendment from being &ldquo;called into question in any court on any ground&rdquo;. Also, it clearly stated the nature of (unlimited) powers offered to the Parliament allowing it to amend the Constitution at any given point.&nbsp;

The Act dismissed the powers of the courts in dictating any judgment for office for profit cases. It eroded the federal structure of the Constitution completely. 
&nbsp; 
The Preamble was changed from &ldquo;sovereign, democratic, republic&rdquo; to &ldquo;sovereign, socialist, democratic, republic&rdquo; &nbsp;

Due to its utmost modifications of the Constitution, the amendment is often called &ldquo;mini-Constitution&rdquo; and the &quot;Constitution of Indira&rdquo;.&nbsp;

The Supreme court in 1980 reverted these modifications calling two provisions of the 42nd Amendment as unconstitutional.

The Emergency era and its infamous Constitution amendment had been widely criticised.&nbsp;

Indira Gandhi had to face its consequences in the elections that followed which led to the first-ever downfall of the Indian National Congress in India.

The Constitution was framed in a way to ensure that the Parliament does not have the power to override it

The Constitution of India offers basic guidelines and principles for the efficient functioning of our nation. It dictates the fundamental political principles, powers, and duties of the government and also enumerates the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of the citizens. The Constitution advocates constitutional supremacy over parliamentary supremacy and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It came into effect on January 26, 1950. The Constitution was framed in a way to ensure that the Parliament does not have the power to override it. However, one of the most controversial amendments introduced in the Constitution -- during the emergency of 1975 -- tweaked this very characteristic of the Constitution. It was then when the powers of the Constitution were curtailed in the Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution. Popularly known as the Constitution (Forty second Amendment) Act of 1977, the amendment to the Constitution was initiated by the Indira Gandhi-led Indian National Congress during the emergency period. The amendment was considered the most controversial in the history of India as it called for restricting the power of the Supreme Court and the High Court in pronouncing judgments complying with constitutional validity. The 59th clause of the amendment snatched away several powers resting with the Supreme Court making Parliament the Supreme authority. The amendment equipped the Prime Minister with uncontrolled powers to amend any section of the Constitution without any judicial intervention. It transferred more powers to the Central Government, reducing the authority vested with the state governments. Article 368 of the Amendment act restrained any constitutional amendment from being “called into question in any court on any ground”. Also, it clearly stated the nature of (unlimited) powers offered to the Parliament allowing it to amend the Constitution at any given point. The Act dismissed the powers of the courts in dictating any judgment for office for profit cases. It eroded the federal structure of the Constitution completely. The Preamble was changed from “sovereign, democratic, republic” to “sovereign, socialist, democratic, republic” Due to its utmost modifications of the Constitution, the amendment is often called “mini-Constitution” and the "Constitution of Indira”. The Supreme court in 1980 reverted these modifications calling two provisions of the 42nd Amendment as unconstitutional. The Emergency era and its infamous Constitution amendment had been widely criticised. Indira Gandhi had to face its consequences in the elections that followed which led to the first-ever downfall of the Indian National Congress in India.

Constitution of Indira: The most controversial amendment to the Indian constitution

Bhartiya Janata Party reacted to the allegations of indulging in &#39;cheap politics&#39; after Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting in the sixth row during the Republic day parade.

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Rahul Gandhi was given the seat during Republic Day parade as per the protocol, rules &amp; traditions. The controversy created by Congress party is unwarranted &amp; an example of cheap politics. It shows that Congress party still believes in aristocracy and not in democracy : <a href="https://twitter.com/GVLNRAO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GVLNRAO</a> <a href="https://t.co/eSWgJcJbrL">pic.twitter.com/eSWgJcJbrL</a>
&mdash; BJP (@BJP4India) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/957142249682345986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, &quot;democracy workes&nbsp;around rules and not people, it shows that Congress party still believes in aristocracy and not in democracy.&quot;

Rao further asked the Congress if they don&#39;t believe in democracy?

On January 26, during the Republic Day celebrations, Rahul Gandhi took the designated seat in the sixth row which prompted an uproar among Congress leaders.

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मोदी सरकार की ओछी राजनीति जग ज़ाहिर! 
 
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी को गणतंत्र दिवस के राष्ट्रीय पर्व पर अंहकारी शासकों ने सारी परंपराओं को दरकिनार करके पहले चौथी पंक्ति और फिर छठी पंक्ति में जानबूझकर बिठाया। 
 
हमारे लिये संविधान का उत्सव ही सर्व प्रथम है। <a href="https://t.co/8bRi017G8J">pic.twitter.com/8bRi017G8J</a>
&mdash; Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) <a href="https://twitter.com/rssurjewala/status/956789223910137856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Gandhi was seated along with the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Congress sources said the party presidents, including Sonia Gandhi, were always seated in the front row at the Republic Day parade.

During last year celebrations, Sonia Gandhi was seated in the first row with BJP president Amit Shah.

India celebrated its 69th Republic Day on Friday with a grand display of the country&#39;s military might and rich cultural diversity in the presence of leaders from the ASEAN nations.&nbsp;

During the 69th Republic Day celebrations, Rahul Gandhi took his designated seat in the sixth row

Bhartiya Janata Party reacted to the allegations of indulging in 'cheap politics' after Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting in the sixth row during the Republic day parade. Rahul Gandhi was given the seat during Republic Day parade as per the protocol, rules & traditions. The controversy created by Congress party is unwarranted & an example of cheap politics. It shows that Congress party still believes in aristocracy and not in democracy : @GVLNRAO pic.twitter.com/eSWgJcJbrL — BJP (@BJP4India) January 27, 2018 × BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, "democracy workes around rules and not people, it shows that Congress party still believes in aristocracy and not in democracy." Rao further asked the Congress if they don't believe in democracy? On January 26, during the Republic Day celebrations, Rahul Gandhi took the designated seat in the sixth row which prompted an uproar among Congress leaders. मोदी सरकार की ओछी राजनीति जग ज़ाहिर! कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी को गणतंत्र दिवस के राष्ट्रीय पर्व पर अंहकारी शासकों ने सारी परंपराओं को दरकिनार करके पहले चौथी पंक्ति और फिर छठी पंक्ति में जानबूझकर बिठाया। हमारे लिये संविधान का उत्सव ही सर्व प्रथम है। pic.twitter.com/8bRi017G8J — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 26, 2018 × Gandhi was seated along with the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad. Congress sources said the party presidents, including Sonia Gandhi, were always seated in the front row at the Republic Day parade. During last year celebrations, Sonia Gandhi was seated in the first row with BJP president Amit Shah. India celebrated its 69th Republic Day on Friday with a grand display of the country's military might and rich cultural diversity in the presence of leaders from the ASEAN nations.

Rahul Gandhi's seating row: 'Democracy works around rules and not people,' retorts BJP

CRPF personnel today detected and defused a pressure cooker IED near a railway station in Pampore area of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The recovery of the IED comes just two days ahead of Republic Day celebrations in Kashmir, where security has been beefed up to thwart any attempts by militants to stage attacks.

A spokesman of the CRPF said that &quot;an IED fitted in a three-litre pressure cooker was detected by alert jawans of the force at Kandizal-Tangpora village near the railway station.&quot;

A bomb disposal squad of the CRPF was summoned and the IED was defused without causing any damage.

Security forces have been deployed in strength at strategic locations in the city to prevent militants from moving around.

The law enforcing agencies are carrying out random frisking and searches of vehicles entering the city.

This year the main Republic Day function will be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium instead of the regular venue -- Bakshi Stadium, which is closed for renovations.

The area around the cricket stadium was sealed this morning for full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day Parade.

Traffic police has issued an advisory for movement of vehicles between the city centre and south Kashmir and no vehicle will be permitted to move along the Ram Munshi Bagh- TRC stretch of the road during the rehearsal and Republic Day function.&nbsp;

The recovery of the IED comes just two days ahead of Republic Day celebrations in Kashmir, where security has been beefed up to thwart any attempts by militants to stage attacks

CRPF personnel today detected and defused a pressure cooker IED near a railway station in Pampore area of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The recovery of the IED comes just two days ahead of Republic Day celebrations in Kashmir, where security has been beefed up to thwart any attempts by militants to stage attacks. A spokesman of the CRPF said that "an IED fitted in a three-litre pressure cooker was detected by alert jawans of the force at Kandizal-Tangpora village near the railway station." A bomb disposal squad of the CRPF was summoned and the IED was defused without causing any damage. Security forces have been deployed in strength at strategic locations in the city to prevent militants from moving around. The law enforcing agencies are carrying out random frisking and searches of vehicles entering the city. This year the main Republic Day function will be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium instead of the regular venue -- Bakshi Stadium, which is closed for renovations. The area around the cricket stadium was sealed this morning for full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day Parade. Traffic police has issued an advisory for movement of vehicles between the city centre and south Kashmir and no vehicle will be permitted to move along the Ram Munshi Bagh- TRC stretch of the road during the rehearsal and Republic Day function.

Pressure cooker IED found in J&K's Pampore

Clashes erupted outside the Indian High Commission in London on Friday evening as Lord Nazir Ahmed, a pro-Pakistan peer in the House of Lords attempted to hold a &quot;black day&quot; protest, which was vehemently countered by many Indian and British groups.

The Pakistan-backed &#39;black day&#39; campaign, which coincides with India&#39;s Republic Day and took place outside the Indian High Commission in the heart of Central London, aimed at highlighting the &quot;oppression in India&quot;.

Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan. They were met by an equal number of counter-protesters and soon scuffles broke out, leading to police intervention.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Clashes erupted outside Indian High Commission in London as British Lord Nazir called for Azad Kashmir on India&#39;s Republic Day <a href="https://t.co/IJQb3XajIu">pic.twitter.com/IJQb3XajIu</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/956952581607120896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The counter-protesters questioned Lord Nazir on how he was making a mockery of the British system by openly playing Pakistan&#39;s game.

Lord Nazir is a highly controversial figure with a string of scandals, including a conviction for dangerous driving and being ousted from the Labour Party for his anti-Semitic views as well as his perceived sympathy towards radical Islamists.

&nbsp;

Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan

Clashes erupted outside the Indian High Commission in London on Friday evening as Lord Nazir Ahmed, a pro-Pakistan peer in the House of Lords attempted to hold a "black day" protest, which was vehemently countered by many Indian and British groups. The Pakistan-backed 'black day' campaign, which coincides with India's Republic Day and took place outside the Indian High Commission in the heart of Central London, aimed at highlighting the "oppression in India". Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan. They were met by an equal number of counter-protesters and soon scuffles broke out, leading to police intervention. #WATCH Clashes erupted outside Indian High Commission in London as British Lord Nazir called for Azad Kashmir on India's Republic Day pic.twitter.com/IJQb3XajIu — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018 × The counter-protesters questioned Lord Nazir on how he was making a mockery of the British system by openly playing Pakistan's game. Lord Nazir is a highly controversial figure with a string of scandals, including a conviction for dangerous driving and being ousted from the Labour Party for his anti-Semitic views as well as his perceived sympathy towards radical Islamists.

Anti-India, pro-India groups scuffle outside High Commission in London

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-hope-asean-will-be-integral-part-of-new-indias-transformation-pm-modi-30832">I hope ASEAN will be integral part of New India&#39;s transformation: PM Modi</a>

An op-ed written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been published in 27 newspapers across the ASEAN countries.&nbsp; All 10 heads of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries were chief guests at the Republic Day parade this year. The presence of the 10 heads of state -- who are also here to attend the India-Asean commemorative summit -- is meant to symbolise India&#39;s 
progression from its Look East policy to &quot;acting east&quot;.&nbsp;

Modi&#39;s op-ed is headlined &quot;Asean-India: Shared values and a common destiny&quot;, and is meant to mark the commemorative summit.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/president-turns-emotional-after-honouring-garud-commando-at-republic-day-parade-30840">President turns emotional after honouring </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/president-turns-emotional-after-honouring-garud-commando-at-republic-day-parade-30840">Garud</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/president-turns-emotional-after-honouring-garud-commando-at-republic-day-parade-30840"> commando at Republic Day parade</a>

President Ram Nath Kovind today appeared emotional after he awarded the Ashok Chakra, India&#39;s highest peacetime military decoration, posthumously to Air Force Garud commando Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala here.

Corporal Nirala laid down his life after gunning down two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Bandipora district in November.

After presenting the award to Corporal Nirala&#39;s wife Sushmanand and his mother Malti Devi at the Republic Day Parade, Kovind was seen wiping his face and eyes with his handkerchief.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/republic-day-2018-bsfs-daredevil-women-bikers-stun-spectators-30843">Republic Day 2018: BSF&#39;s daredevil women bikers stun spectators</a>

India celebrated its 69th Republic Day on Friday with 10 ASEAN leaders as chief guests in attendance. With impressive march pasts and colourful tableaux, the day&#39;s ceremony commenced with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate to pay homage to the fallen soldier.

The highlight of the parade was motorcycle contingent &#39;Seema Bhawani&#39; of the Border Security Force (BSF), comprising women personnel of the force that showcased their skills for the first time at the parade.

As per tradition, the BSF and the Army&#39;s bike-borne &#39;daredevils&#39; end the parade on alternate years. But this time, members of the BSF&#39;s women motorcycle team replaced their male counterparts.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-gets-sixth-row-seat-at-republic-day-parade-congress-furious-30853">Rahul Gandhi gets </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-gets-sixth-row-seat-at-republic-day-parade-congress-furious-30853">sixth row</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-gets-sixth-row-seat-at-republic-day-parade-congress-furious-30853"> seat at Republic Day parade, Congress furious</a>

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday attended the Republic Day Parade and took the designated seat in the sixth row, prompting an angry reaction from his party that accused the government of setting aside tradition and indulging in &quot;cheap politics&quot;.

Gandhi was seated in the sixth row, along with Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

&quot;The Modi government&#39;s cheap politics is for all to see. The Congress president was deliberately made to sit in the sixth row, after initially assigning him a fourth-row seat, at the Republic Day celebrations by the arrogant rulers, who set aside all past traditions. For us the celebration of the Constitution is foremost,&quot; Congress&#39; communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet posted in Hindi.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-holds-bilateral-meetings-with-malaysian-laos-counterparts-30857">PM Modi holds bilateral meetings with Malaysian, Laos counterparts</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart Nazib Razak, and with the Prime Minister of Laos PDR Thongloun Sisoulith.

The external affairs ministry spokesperson said PM Modi and his Malaysian counterpart had an &quot;engaging&quot; discussion during which the two leaders focused on ways to enhance counter-terror cooperation and boost ties in areas of defence, trade and investment.

During his bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Laos, PM Modi discussed &quot;developmental cooperation, and partnership in trade and Human Resource Development (HRD),&quot; India&#39;s external affairs ministry said. 
&nbsp;

I hope ASEAN will be integral part of New India's transformation: PM Modi An op-ed written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been published in 27 newspapers across the ASEAN countries. All 10 heads of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries were chief guests at the Republic Day parade this year. The presence of the 10 heads of state -- who are also here to attend the India-Asean commemorative summit -- is meant to symbolise India's progression from its Look East policy to "acting east". Modi's op-ed is headlined "Asean-India: Shared values and a common destiny", and is meant to mark the commemorative summit. President turns emotional after honouring Garud commando at Republic Day parade President Ram Nath Kovind today appeared emotional after he awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration, posthumously to Air Force Garud commando Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala here. Corporal Nirala laid down his life after gunning down two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district in November. After presenting the award to Corporal Nirala's wife Sushmanand and his mother Malti Devi at the Republic Day Parade, Kovind was seen wiping his face and eyes with his handkerchief. Republic Day 2018: BSF's daredevil women bikers stun spectators India celebrated its 69th Republic Day on Friday with 10 ASEAN leaders as chief guests in attendance. With impressive march pasts and colourful tableaux, the day's ceremony commenced with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate to pay homage to the fallen soldier. The highlight of the parade was motorcycle contingent 'Seema Bhawani' of the Border Security Force (BSF), comprising women personnel of the force that showcased their skills for the first time at the parade. As per tradition, the BSF and the Army's bike-borne 'daredevils' end the parade on alternate years. But this time, members of the BSF's women motorcycle team replaced their male counterparts. Rahul Gandhi gets sixth row seat at Republic Day parade, Congress furious Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday attended the Republic Day Parade and took the designated seat in the sixth row, prompting an angry reaction from his party that accused the government of setting aside tradition and indulging in "cheap politics". Gandhi was seated in the sixth row, along with Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. "The Modi government's cheap politics is for all to see. The Congress president was deliberately made to sit in the sixth row, after initially assigning him a fourth-row seat, at the Republic Day celebrations by the arrogant rulers, who set aside all past traditions. For us the celebration of the Constitution is foremost," Congress' communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet posted in Hindi. PM Modi holds bilateral meetings with Malaysian, Laos counterparts Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart Nazib Razak, and with the Prime Minister of Laos PDR Thongloun Sisoulith. The external affairs ministry spokesperson said PM Modi and his Malaysian counterpart had an "engaging" discussion during which the two leaders focused on ways to enhance counter-terror cooperation and boost ties in areas of defence, trade and investment. During his bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Laos, PM Modi discussed "developmental cooperation, and partnership in trade and Human Resource Development (HRD)," India's external affairs ministry said.

WION evening news brief, January 26, 2018

Freedom fighters had cherished many aspirations and dreams during the arduous course of the freedom struggle. Upon realisation of this dream, they were passionate about making a fresh start in the form and system of a government substantially different from that of alien rulers. Consequently, the arrival of political freedom gave impetus to the drafting of our own Constitution which was objectified on this day of January 26, 1950. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Constitution of India was, therefore, not a mere a set of fundamental principles that formed the basis of governance; but it codified and reflected certain basic ideals, philosophy and goals that were cherished by our founding fathers. Federalism, separation of powers, constitutionalism, rule of law is at the heart of Constitution. Besides, there are other fundamental principles which contribute meaningfully toward the achievement of liberty, order, and justice.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

First, the Constitution of India was based on the belief that a legitimate Constitution is that which originates with, and is controlled by we the people and, thus, a Constitution is more than a body of substantive rules and principles. Thomas Paine explained this the best when he said, &ldquo;a Constitution is not the act of a government, but of people&nbsp;constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is power without right.&rdquo; This principle is very well entrenched in the Preamble of the Constitution, which declares that the Constitution is ordained and established not by the government, but by &ldquo;We the People of India.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Second, our Constitution subscribes to the view that the government must in all respects be politically accountable to the governed. This is accomplished through the election process and with the members of the House of Representatives being directly accountable to the electorate. Though sloping towards union, the States have an effective role by virtue of the Upper House, Electoral College to elect the President, and the amendment process.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Third, the Constitution rested on the proposition that all governments are limited government. A Constitution is a legal, not just a political, limitation on government. It is considered by the Supreme Court, the antithesis of arbitrariness. Instead of advocating parliamentary supremacy, the Indian Constitution affirms that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Fourth, the Constitution embraced the view that in order to ensure constitutionalism i.e. idea of limited government, the powers of government must be defined, distributed and divided. This tendency toward &ldquo;tyranny in the head&rdquo; shall be prevented, or at least discouraged, through a separation of powers among the three branches of the government. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Fifth, the Constitution of India was premised on the unassailable assumption that the rights and liberties of the people would be protected because the powers of government are limited. The drafters were over conscious and, thus, immunised the power process by inserting negative clauses (Fundamental Rights), inhibiting the government from assuming any such powers along with positive directional clauses (Directive Principles) to take affirmative action.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

However, our Constitution was deficient in certain matters. As in the western conception of rights, Indian Constitution emphasised only rights rather than duties, in spite of the fact that these duties of citizens are encapsulated in the preamble to the Constitution. Duties, such as the duty to uphold the constitution and its ideals, duty to uphold sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, duty to promote harmony and brotherhood amongst all people must now be given substance rather than declarations of ornamental significance.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Otherwise, it would be impossible for a democratic community like India to ever flourish where the citizens are not enthusiastic to be active participants in the process of governance by assuming responsibilities and discharging citizenship duties with utmost integrity and honesty. Another duty of supreme importance which must be performed is the duty to practice tolerance, otherwise, constitutional democracy will be under threat, while the cherished freedom of expression and dissent will be held captive by fanatic mobs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I wish to recap on the virtuous occasion of 69th Republic Day, the finest lines of Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy in National Anthem Case: &ldquo;our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our constitution practices tolerance; let us not dilute it.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

India Constitution rests on the proposition that all governments are limited government; the government must in all respects be politically accountable to the governed.

Freedom fighters had cherished many aspirations and dreams during the arduous course of the freedom struggle. Upon realisation of this dream, they were passionate about making a fresh start in the form and system of a government substantially different from that of alien rulers. Consequently, the arrival of political freedom gave impetus to the drafting of our own Constitution which was objectified on this day of January 26, 1950. Constitution of India was, therefore, not a mere a set of fundamental principles that formed the basis of governance; but it codified and reflected certain basic ideals, philosophy and goals that were cherished by our founding fathers. Federalism, separation of powers, constitutionalism, rule of law is at the heart of Constitution. Besides, there are other fundamental principles which contribute meaningfully toward the achievement of liberty, order, and justice. First, the Constitution of India was based on the belief that a legitimate Constitution is that which originates with, and is controlled by we the people and, thus, a Constitution is more than a body of substantive rules and principles. Thomas Paine explained this the best when he said, “a Constitution is not the act of a government, but of people constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is power without right.” This principle is very well entrenched in the Preamble of the Constitution, which declares that the Constitution is ordained and established not by the government, but by “We the People of India.” Second, our Constitution subscribes to the view that the government must in all respects be politically accountable to the governed. This is accomplished through the election process and with the members of the House of Representatives being directly accountable to the electorate. Though sloping towards union, the States have an effective role by virtue of the Upper House, Electoral College to elect the President, and the amendment process. Third, the Constitution rested on the proposition that all governments are limited government. A Constitution is a legal, not just a political, limitation on government. It is considered by the Supreme Court, the antithesis of arbitrariness. Instead of advocating parliamentary supremacy, the Indian Constitution affirms that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. Fourth, the Constitution embraced the view that in order to ensure constitutionalism i.e. idea of limited government, the powers of government must be defined, distributed and divided. This tendency toward “tyranny in the head” shall be prevented, or at least discouraged, through a separation of powers among the three branches of the government. Fifth, the Constitution of India was premised on the unassailable assumption that the rights and liberties of the people would be protected because the powers of government are limited. The drafters were over conscious and, thus, immunised the power process by inserting negative clauses (Fundamental Rights), inhibiting the government from assuming any such powers along with positive directional clauses (Directive Principles) to take affirmative action. However, our Constitution was deficient in certain matters. As in the western conception of rights, Indian Constitution emphasised only rights rather than duties, in spite of the fact that these duties of citizens are encapsulated in the preamble to the Constitution. Duties, such as the duty to uphold the constitution and its ideals, duty to uphold sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, duty to promote harmony and brotherhood amongst all people must now be given substance rather than declarations of ornamental significance. Otherwise, it would be impossible for a democratic community like India to ever flourish where the citizens are not enthusiastic to be active participants in the process of governance by assuming responsibilities and discharging citizenship duties with utmost integrity and honesty. Another duty of supreme importance which must be performed is the duty to practice tolerance, otherwise, constitutional democracy will be under threat, while the cherished freedom of expression and dissent will be held captive by fanatic mobs. I wish to recap on the virtuous occasion of 69th Republic Day, the finest lines of Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy in National Anthem Case: “our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our constitution practices tolerance; let us not dilute it." (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: On 69th Republic Day, what we need to remember about our Constitution

Three blasts in quick succession were reported from Assam on Republic Day. The blasts were reported from the Jagun, Ledo, and Tirap areas of the state.&nbsp;

There were no casualties reported, and ANI said the blasts were &quot;minor&quot;.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpotVisuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpotVisuals</a> Two minor blasts reported in Jagun &amp; Ledo area of Tinsukiya district earlier today; no casualties reported <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Assam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Assam</a> <a href="https://t.co/4okkPPB3an">pic.twitter.com/4okkPPB3an</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/956806539582435328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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No one has as yet claimed responsibility but police said the militant group ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) is being thought of as a suspect since it had called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations.&nbsp;

In Kashmir meanwhile, police said they had apprehended a suspected woman suicide bomber.&nbsp;

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A lady who is suspected to be a suicide bomber has been apprehended, we will verify facts and talk to her, only then can we come to a conclusion: Munir Khan,ADG,J&amp;K Police <a href="https://t.co/NWepMesu5j">pic.twitter.com/NWepMesu5j</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/956790056697544704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Intelligence agencies had put out an alert earlier, saying a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/republic-day-fidayeen-alert-issued-in-kashmir-30726" target="_blank">fidayeen attacker</a> was thought to be in the Valley.&nbsp;

They had added the attacker might be female and that everybody entering a venue where Republic Day was being celebrated was to be thoroughly frisked. Including women.&nbsp;

Republic Day celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam, and other parts of the country troubled by insurgency, are usually held under heavy security.&nbsp;

In Punjab meanwhile, a police constable shot himself with his AK-47 at a Republic Day function at a school in Jagraon. Police said Manjit Singh died on the spot.&nbsp;

They added that an investigation was underway, and that Singh had been depressed because of family troubles.&nbsp;

And finally, a woman and her two sons were detained in Mumbai while trying to enter a Republic Day venue. The woman, ANI said, was reportedly angry over the death of her husband in custody and was planning on immolating herself.&nbsp;

On the good news front, mobile and internet services, which had been suspended in Kashmir for security reasons, were restored early in the afternoon.&nbsp;

The blasts were minor and there were no casualties

Three blasts in quick succession were reported from Assam on Republic Day. The blasts were reported from the Jagun, Ledo, and Tirap areas of the state. There were no casualties reported, and ANI said the blasts were "minor". #SpotVisuals Two minor blasts reported in Jagun & Ledo area of Tinsukiya district earlier today; no casualties reported #Assam pic.twitter.com/4okkPPB3an — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018 × No one has as yet claimed responsibility but police said the militant group ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) is being thought of as a suspect since it had called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations. In Kashmir meanwhile, police said they had apprehended a suspected woman suicide bomber. A lady who is suspected to be a suicide bomber has been apprehended, we will verify facts and talk to her, only then can we come to a conclusion: Munir Khan,ADG,J&K Police pic.twitter.com/NWepMesu5j — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018 × Intelligence agencies had put out an alert earlier, saying a fidayeen attacker was thought to be in the Valley. They had added the attacker might be female and that everybody entering a venue where Republic Day was being celebrated was to be thoroughly frisked. Including women. Republic Day celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam, and other parts of the country troubled by insurgency, are usually held under heavy security. In Punjab meanwhile, a police constable shot himself with his AK-47 at a Republic Day function at a school in Jagraon. Police said Manjit Singh died on the spot. They added that an investigation was underway, and that Singh had been depressed because of family troubles. And finally, a woman and her two sons were detained in Mumbai while trying to enter a Republic Day venue. The woman, ANI said, was reportedly angry over the death of her husband in custody and was planning on immolating herself. On the good news front, mobile and internet services, which had been suspended in Kashmir for security reasons, were restored early in the afternoon.

Republic Day: 3 blasts in Assam, woman suicide bomber apprehended in Kashmir, cop shoots himself in Punjab

&nbsp;

January 26 marks the&nbsp;implementation&nbsp;of a parliamentary&nbsp;form of Government&nbsp;in India. The&nbsp;constitution of India&nbsp;came into force&nbsp;on this day&nbsp;in 1950.&nbsp;

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It replaced the Colonial period&#39;s &quot;Government of India Act (1935)&quot;&nbsp;as the governing document.

Though the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, it was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on January 26, 1949.&nbsp;

The 26th day of January was chosen as the day for the implementation of the Constitution to coincide it with the day of Purna Swaraj, the declaration of Indian Independence by Congress during Colonial power in 1930.&nbsp;

The Republic Day is a three-day celebration and is concluded with a beating retreat on the third day.&nbsp;

The Beating Retreat ends with a song &quot;Abide by Me&quot;, which is said to one of the favourites of &#39;Bapu&quot;.&nbsp;

The celebration of the first Republic Day in 1950 was held at Irwin stadium in Delhi. Indonesian President&nbsp;Sukarno was the chief guest to this first celebration.&nbsp;

The celebrations of Republic Day on Rajpath began in 1955. The first chief guest of the Rajpath parade was the first governor-general of Pakistan, Malik Gulam Mohammed.

France and Britain have been invited five times for Republic Day celebration on Rajpath while the United States is invited just once.&nbsp;Pakistan has been invited twice.&nbsp;No guest was invited to the Republic Day in 1966.&nbsp;

The only two original and handwritten versions of the Constitution are preserved in the Parliament of India in helium-filled cases. One of these is written in Hindi while the other is scripted in English.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

France and Britain have been invited five times for Republic Day celebration on Rajpath while the Unioted States is invited just once. Pakistan has been invited twice. No guest was invited to the Republic Day celebration of 1966

January 26 marks the implementation of a parliamentary form of Government in India. The constitution of India came into force on this day in 1950. × It replaced the Colonial period's "Government of India Act (1935)" as the governing document. Though the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, it was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on January 26, 1949. The 26th day of January was chosen as the day for the implementation of the Constitution to coincide it with the day of Purna Swaraj, the declaration of Indian Independence by Congress during Colonial power in 1930. The Republic Day is a three-day celebration and is concluded with a beating retreat on the third day. The Beating Retreat ends with a song "Abide by Me", which is said to one of the favourites of 'Bapu". The celebration of the first Republic Day in 1950 was held at Irwin stadium in Delhi. Indonesian President Sukarno was the chief guest to this first celebration. The celebrations of Republic Day on Rajpath began in 1955. The first chief guest of the Rajpath parade was the first governor-general of Pakistan, Malik Gulam Mohammed. France and Britain have been invited five times for Republic Day celebration on Rajpath while the United States is invited just once. Pakistan has been invited twice. No guest was invited to the Republic Day in 1966. The only two original and handwritten versions of the Constitution are preserved in the Parliament of India in helium-filled cases. One of these is written in Hindi while the other is scripted in English.

Ten facts about the Republic Day celebrations in India

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday attended the Republic Day Parade and took the designated seat in the sixth row, prompting an angry reaction from his party that accused the government of setting aside tradition and indulging in &quot;cheap politics&quot;.

Gandhi was seated in the sixth row, along with Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

&quot;The Modi government&#39;s cheap politics is for all to see. The Congress president was deliberately made to sit in the sixth row, after initially assigning him a fourth-row seat, at the Republic Day celebrations by the arrogant rulers, who set aside all past traditions. For us the celebration of the Constitution is foremost,&quot; Congress&#39; communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet posted in Hindi.

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मोदी सरकार की ओछी राजनीति जग ज़ाहिर! 
 
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी को गणतंत्र दिवस के राष्ट्रीय पर्व पर अंहकारी शासकों ने सारी परंपराओं को दरकिनार करके पहले चौथी पंक्ति और फिर छठी पंक्ति में जानबूझकर बिठाया। 
 
हमारे लिये संविधान का उत्सव ही सर्व प्रथम है। <a href="https://t.co/8bRi017G8J">pic.twitter.com/8bRi017G8J</a>
&mdash; Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) <a href="https://twitter.com/rssurjewala/status/956789223910137856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Congress sources said the party presidents, including Sonia Gandhi who handed over the party reins to Rahul Gandhi in December last year, had always been seated in the front row at the Republic Day Parade.

&quot;It&#39;s sad if those in power think somebody&#39;s stature is decided by where that person is seated,&quot; Khurshid said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Khurshid said India values protocols, but beyond protocols &quot;there is something called good manners&quot;.

&quot;Rahul Gandhi is not just a Congress MP anymore. He is also the president of India&#39;s largest opposition party. And if the ruling party doesn&#39;t understand that position, it is unfortunate,&quot; he added.

Former prime ministers H D Deve Gowda and Manmohan Singh were seen seated in the front row in the picture, followed by Union ministers Smriti Irani and Thawarchand Gehlot.

Government sources, meanwhile, said that as per the protocol, the Leader of Opposition is accorded a seat in the seventh row.

India on Friday celebrated its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/10-asean-chief-guests-in-attendance-india-displays-military-might-cultural-diversity-30823">69th Republic Day</a> with a grand display of the country&#39;s military might and rich cultural diversity in the presence of leaders from all the ASEAN nations, in a historic first and unprecedented strategic outreach to the powerful bloc.

This was for the first time that leaders from 10 countries attended the annual celebrations as chief guests, and the overwhelming presence of the ASEAN leadership is seen as a reflection of India&#39;s growing stature as a major power in the region where China has been expanding its footprint.

Last year, Sonia Gandhi was assigned a seat in the front row and was seen sitting along with BJP president Amit Shah. The BJP president was seated in the front row in the function on Friday.

Congress sources said the party presidents, including Sonia Gandhi who handed over the party reins to Rahul Gandhi in December last year, had always been seated in the front row at the Republic Day Parade.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday attended the Republic Day Parade and took the designated seat in the sixth row, prompting an angry reaction from his party that accused the government of setting aside tradition and indulging in "cheap politics". Gandhi was seated in the sixth row, along with Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. "The Modi government's cheap politics is for all to see. The Congress president was deliberately made to sit in the sixth row, after initially assigning him a fourth-row seat, at the Republic Day celebrations by the arrogant rulers, who set aside all past traditions. For us the celebration of the Constitution is foremost," Congress' communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet posted in Hindi. मोदी सरकार की ओछी राजनीति जग ज़ाहिर! कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी को गणतंत्र दिवस के राष्ट्रीय पर्व पर अंहकारी शासकों ने सारी परंपराओं को दरकिनार करके पहले चौथी पंक्ति और फिर छठी पंक्ति में जानबूझकर बिठाया। हमारे लिये संविधान का उत्सव ही सर्व प्रथम है। pic.twitter.com/8bRi017G8J — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 26, 2018 × Congress sources said the party presidents, including Sonia Gandhi who handed over the party reins to Rahul Gandhi in December last year, had always been seated in the front row at the Republic Day Parade. "It's sad if those in power think somebody's stature is decided by where that person is seated," Khurshid said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Khurshid said India values protocols, but beyond protocols "there is something called good manners". "Rahul Gandhi is not just a Congress MP anymore. He is also the president of India's largest opposition party. And if the ruling party doesn't understand that position, it is unfortunate," he added. Former prime ministers H D Deve Gowda and Manmohan Singh were seen seated in the front row in the picture, followed by Union ministers Smriti Irani and Thawarchand Gehlot. Government sources, meanwhile, said that as per the protocol, the Leader of Opposition is accorded a seat in the seventh row. India on Friday celebrated its 69th Republic Day with a grand display of the country's military might and rich cultural diversity in the presence of leaders from all the ASEAN nations, in a historic first and unprecedented strategic outreach to the powerful bloc. This was for the first time that leaders from 10 countries attended the annual celebrations as chief guests, and the overwhelming presence of the ASEAN leadership is seen as a reflection of India's growing stature as a major power in the region where China has been expanding its footprint. Last year, Sonia Gandhi was assigned a seat in the front row and was seen sitting along with BJP president Amit Shah. The BJP president was seated in the front row in the function on Friday.

Rahul Gandhi gets sixth row seat at Republic Day parade, Congress furious

GoAir has announced a big Republic Day sale on Tuesday with fares starting as low as Rs 726 and going up till Rs 3926, inclusive of all taxes.

These prices will be valid for travel across its entire domestic network under a limited period scheme. The booking will begin from January 24 and will end on January 28.&nbsp;

The travel validity for the tickets booked under the 5-day Republic Day offer stands between March 1 and December 31, 2018 and will be limited to a number of seats, GoAir said in a release.

The booking can be done using any channel and customers who would use GoAir website goair.in will get an offer worth Rs&nbsp;2500, which consists of Rs 1200 voucher from Zoom car, Rs 1000 voucher from Lenskart, Rs 250 cashback if paid through Paytm and 10 per cent discount if the ticket is booked from GoAir mobile app.

This offer will however not be valid on infant bookings or group discount plus it cannot be clubbed with any other on-going promotional offer or in any form of cash.&nbsp;

Fares are subjected to Standard Cancellation &amp; Rebooking policy applies.&nbsp;

The Wadia Group-promoted airline and currently operates over 1544 flights per week to 23 domestic destinations. This offer has been announced as part of its Republic Day bonanza.

These prices will be valid for travel across its entire domestic network under a limited period scheme. The booking will begin from January 24 and will end onn January 28

GoAir has announced a big Republic Day sale on Tuesday with fares starting as low as Rs 726 and going up till Rs 3926, inclusive of all taxes. These prices will be valid for travel across its entire domestic network under a limited period scheme. The booking will begin from January 24 and will end on January 28. The travel validity for the tickets booked under the 5-day Republic Day offer stands between March 1 and December 31, 2018 and will be limited to a number of seats, GoAir said in a release. The booking can be done using any channel and customers who would use GoAir website goair.in will get an offer worth Rs 2500, which consists of Rs 1200 voucher from Zoom car, Rs 1000 voucher from Lenskart, Rs 250 cashback if paid through Paytm and 10 per cent discount if the ticket is booked from GoAir mobile app. This offer will however not be valid on infant bookings or group discount plus it cannot be clubbed with any other on-going promotional offer or in any form of cash. Fares are subjected to Standard Cancellation & Rebooking policy applies. The Wadia Group-promoted airline and currently operates over 1544 flights per week to 23 domestic destinations. This offer has been announced as part of its Republic Day bonanza.

GoAir announces big Republic Day bonanza with fares as low as Rs 726

26 of January is a special day for India as it is the birthday of our Constitution and the day is celebrated as Republic day. The Republic Day parade at the capital is of special importance which showcases the Indian military&#39;s might and culture. As history shows, there is the presence of, at least, one foreign dignitary as the chief guest in that day&#39;s function.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There is a difference between a foreign dignitary visiting India on any other day of the year and a foreign dignitary&#39;s presence on the Republic day as the chief guest. When a foreign dignitary is in India on this day, it is, possibly, because he needs to be convinced that India is a place of absolute trust and a fertile land for investment. Republic day is not only day for our democratic pride but also a milestone in handling of our foriegn affairs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the 1950s, the Republic Day chief guest usually came from the NAM group and other Asian countries of Nepal and Bhutan. The reason for calling them was to give them a glimpse of what a newly independent India had been fast achieving. When tensions between India and the communists China erupted, in the 1959 Republic day function,&nbsp; General Ye Jainying found his place on the chief guest chair. It is said that in the 1960s when the Congress government was tilting towards the Soviet Bloc to counter excessive American presence in Pakistan, it became necessary to show a glimpse of India to Russia and its allies. Thus, the 1960s saw the USSR-allies in the Republic day chief guest&#39;s chair.

&nbsp;

The 1970s and 1980s was a period when India was starting to play a big game in the world policy rather than just being a regional player. To achieve this, engagement with other nations was of paramount importance. To start an engagement, invitation as Republic Day chief guest would be the best way. Thus, those two decades saw dignitaries from Latin American, African nations, European nations in much frequency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Post-1991, was the period marked by liberal policies framed by PV Narshimha Rao government. Therefore, the foreign policy of India was rewritten, wherein India eyed financial ties along with strategic ties. This affected the choice of the chief guest in the Republic day function of those years.

&nbsp;

Post-2000, the Republic day chief guest indicated the geopolitical needs of India. The increase in demand for petroleum made Iranian President Mohammed Khatani, Saudi Arabian ruler King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Russian President Vladimir Putin the chief guest of the Republic Day in the years&nbsp; 2003, 2006 and 2007 respectively.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Uranium rich-Kazakhstan was the chief guest in 2009, the year marked by nuclear deal program finalised by the then PM of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The foriegn policy of &#39;Look East&#39; initiative was necessitated due to increase in Chinese might in ASEAN and other Asian countries. To take those countries along it was necessary to engage with them in a special way. So during the Republic Days of 2010 - 2014, we had dignitaries from South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Bhutan and Japan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

After Narendra Modi came to power this ceremonial-cum-diplomatic day was converted to a diplomatic-cum-ceremonial function. PM Modi took personal charge of the Republic Day.

&nbsp;

The Republic Day of&nbsp; 2015 was more Obama day than Republic day. To have Obama on the table was necessary for the Modi government to fulfill the initiatives of Make in India and FDI inflows. Modi had to prove that US needs India and India needs US and the best day he got was to display that sentiment on the Republic day. From that visit US-India ties have strengthened considerably.

&nbsp;

To raise India from the rung of a developing nation to that of a developed nation, as Modi has promised, engagement with European Union was very vital. French President Francois Hollande was seen on the Republic Day chief guest chair in the year 2016. The purpose of calling him was, first, to give impetus to the Rafle Fighter aircraft deal which was lagging for years. Second, to deepen ties with an EU nation for boosting FDI and the third purpose would be to discuss Paris Climate accord.&nbsp;

The 2017 invitee Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was seen as a complete reset of India&#39;s relationship with the Gulf.&nbsp;

2018 is a bit special for the Republic Day diplomacy as there is an invitation not to one but 10 leaders of ASEAN countries. PM Modi has changed the name from look east policy to act east policy. Though ASEAN is one of the strongest multi-nation group, the Chinese and American aggression may hamper the geo-politics of the region. The table below is a reality check for PM Modi&#39;s success of act east policy:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Trade figures in Million dollars

&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Country
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			2013 - 2014
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			2016 - 2017
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Cambodia
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			124.18
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			153.13
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Brunei
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			1302.44
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			504.6
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Thailand
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			8690
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			7720
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Myanmar
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			NA
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			2
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Malasiya
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			13400
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			10500
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Indonesia
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			13530*
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			15310
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Laos
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			NA
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			NA
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Phillipines
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			882.69
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			1390.21
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Singapore
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			19,272
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			11,421.9
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			Vietnam
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			8000
			</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">
			7800*
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

*means average figure

Except for the Philippines and Cambodia, there has been a significant reduction in bilateral trade with other nations. This reality check must be the reason that PM Modi extended invitations to all the ASEAN leaders and bring his ACT EAST policy into reality.

&nbsp;

PM Modi wants India to be a Vishwa Guru. And for that, we need all possible support in the world that we can have.

&nbsp;

Republic day is a day for Indian diplomacy no doubt, and every prime minister should take the primary responsibility to imbibe the importance of this day to his citizens.

&nbsp;

Happy Republic Day!&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There is a difference between a foreign dignitary visiting India on any other day of the year and a foreign dignitary's presence on the Republic day as the chief guest.

26 of January is a special day for India as it is the birthday of our Constitution and the day is celebrated as Republic day. The Republic Day parade at the capital is of special importance which showcases the Indian military's might and culture. As history shows, there is the presence of, at least, one foreign dignitary as the chief guest in that day's function. There is a difference between a foreign dignitary visiting India on any other day of the year and a foreign dignitary's presence on the Republic day as the chief guest. When a foreign dignitary is in India on this day, it is, possibly, because he needs to be convinced that India is a place of absolute trust and a fertile land for investment. Republic day is not only day for our democratic pride but also a milestone in handling of our foriegn affairs. In the 1950s, the Republic Day chief guest usually came from the NAM group and other Asian countries of Nepal and Bhutan. The reason for calling them was to give them a glimpse of what a newly independent India had been fast achieving. When tensions between India and the communists China erupted, in the 1959 Republic day function, General Ye Jainying found his place on the chief guest chair. It is said that in the 1960s when the Congress government was tilting towards the Soviet Bloc to counter excessive American presence in Pakistan, it became necessary to show a glimpse of India to Russia and its allies. Thus, the 1960s saw the USSR-allies in the Republic day chief guest's chair. The 1970s and 1980s was a period when India was starting to play a big game in the world policy rather than just being a regional player. To achieve this, engagement with other nations was of paramount importance. To start an engagement, invitation as Republic Day chief guest would be the best way. Thus, those two decades saw dignitaries from Latin American, African nations, European nations in much frequency. Post-1991, was the period marked by liberal policies framed by PV Narshimha Rao government. Therefore, the foreign policy of India was rewritten, wherein India eyed financial ties along with strategic ties. This affected the choice of the chief guest in the Republic day function of those years. Post-2000, the Republic day chief guest indicated the geopolitical needs of India. The increase in demand for petroleum made Iranian President Mohammed Khatani, Saudi Arabian ruler King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Russian President Vladimir Putin the chief guest of the Republic Day in the years 2003, 2006 and 2007 respectively. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Uranium rich-Kazakhstan was the chief guest in 2009, the year marked by nuclear deal program finalised by the then PM of India Dr. Manmohan Singh. The foriegn policy of 'Look East' initiative was necessitated due to increase in Chinese might in ASEAN and other Asian countries. To take those countries along it was necessary to engage with them in a special way. So during the Republic Days of 2010 - 2014, we had dignitaries from South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Bhutan and Japan. After Narendra Modi came to power this ceremonial-cum-diplomatic day was converted to a diplomatic-cum-ceremonial function. PM Modi took personal charge of the Republic Day. The Republic Day of 2015 was more Obama day than Republic day. To have Obama on the table was necessary for the Modi government to fulfill the initiatives of Make in India and FDI inflows. Modi had to prove that US needs India and India needs US and the best day he got was to display that sentiment on the Republic day. From that visit US-India ties have strengthened considerably. To raise India from the rung of a developing nation to that of a developed nation, as Modi has promised, engagement with European Union was very vital. French President Francois Hollande was seen on the Republic Day chief guest chair in the year 2016. The purpose of calling him was, first, to give impetus to the Rafle Fighter aircraft deal which was lagging for years. Second, to deepen ties with an EU nation for boosting FDI and the third purpose would be to discuss Paris Climate accord. The 2017 invitee Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was seen as a complete reset of India's relationship with the Gulf. 2018 is a bit special for the Republic Day diplomacy as there is an invitation not to one but 10 leaders of ASEAN countries. PM Modi has changed the name from look east policy to act east policy. Though ASEAN is one of the strongest multi-nation group, the Chinese and American aggression may hamper the geo-politics of the region. The table below is a reality check for PM Modi's success of act east policy: Trade figures in Million dollars Country 2013 - 2014 2016 - 2017 Cambodia 124.18 153.13 Brunei 1302.44 504.6 Thailand 8690 7720 Myanmar NA 2 Malasiya 13400 10500 Indonesia 13530* 15310 Laos NA NA Phillipines 882.69 1390.21 Singapore 19,272 11,421.9 Vietnam 8000 7800* *means average figure Except for the Philippines and Cambodia, there has been a significant reduction in bilateral trade with other nations. This reality check must be the reason that PM Modi extended invitations to all the ASEAN leaders and bring his ACT EAST policy into reality. PM Modi wants India to be a Vishwa Guru. And for that, we need all possible support in the world that we can have. Republic day is a day for Indian diplomacy no doubt, and every prime minister should take the primary responsibility to imbibe the importance of this day to his citizens. Happy Republic Day! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Who gets invite to be chief guest on India's Republic Day

For 47-year-old BSF soldier Dara Singh marching the Rajpath for a record 18th time is just a small tribute to his &lsquo;revered&rsquo; namesake and the iconic wrestler.

Singh, who first put his foot on the historic road in the national capital on January 26, 1996, is fondly addressed as &lsquo;Chacha&rsquo; and &lsquo;Sir&rsquo; by the greenhorn troopers of various marching contingents from paramilitary and defence forces.

The head constable will probably be the oldest among all the troopers from various forces during the parade on Friday.

&ldquo;It is the paltan (battalion) ki shaan (pride) that has to be ensured every time we hit the Rajpath. My age has never made me have a second thought in doing this task,&rdquo; Singh tells PTI at his preparatory camp in New Delhi.

Singh says he is as excited to step on the Rajpath as any first timer.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see anyone here who is my age. But, this also puts added responsibility on me as my seniors and instructors tell me that you are the one who will hold the contingent together,&rdquo; he says.

When asked about his namesake and iconic wrestler, the late Dara Singh, the jawan says: &ldquo;I stand no where near the great wrestler Dara Singh. He is like god. But, every time I walk the Rajpath and bring glory to my force, it is like paying a tribute to him.&rdquo;

The BSF team commander, deputy inspector general Pushpendra Singh Rathore, says the usual age profile of the marchers for this all-important parade is about 30 years.

&ldquo;It is Dara Singh&rsquo;s crisp and disciplined turn out that makes him different from others. He is marching the Rajpath tomorrow (Friday) for the 18th time and I don&rsquo;t think any of the personnel who will have that credit to boast,&rdquo; Rathore, who commanded the parade in 1997, said.

&ldquo;Dara Singh was with me then also (1997) and he is still around. He is a great motivation to the squad,&rdquo; the DIG says.

The 47-year-old will probably be the oldest of all troopers during the parade

For 47-year-old BSF soldier Dara Singh marching the Rajpath for a record 18th time is just a small tribute to his ‘revered’ namesake and the iconic wrestler. Singh, who first put his foot on the historic road in the national capital on January 26, 1996, is fondly addressed as ‘Chacha’ and ‘Sir’ by the greenhorn troopers of various marching contingents from paramilitary and defence forces. The head constable will probably be the oldest among all the troopers from various forces during the parade on Friday. “It is the paltan (battalion) ki shaan (pride) that has to be ensured every time we hit the Rajpath. My age has never made me have a second thought in doing this task,” Singh tells PTI at his preparatory camp in New Delhi. Singh says he is as excited to step on the Rajpath as any first timer. “I don’t see anyone here who is my age. But, this also puts added responsibility on me as my seniors and instructors tell me that you are the one who will hold the contingent together,” he says. When asked about his namesake and iconic wrestler, the late Dara Singh, the jawan says: “I stand no where near the great wrestler Dara Singh. He is like god. But, every time I walk the Rajpath and bring glory to my force, it is like paying a tribute to him.” The BSF team commander, deputy inspector general Pushpendra Singh Rathore, says the usual age profile of the marchers for this all-important parade is about 30 years. “It is Dara Singh’s crisp and disciplined turn out that makes him different from others. He is marching the Rajpath tomorrow (Friday) for the 18th time and I don’t think any of the personnel who will have that credit to boast,” Rathore, who commanded the parade in 1997, said. “Dara Singh was with me then also (1997) and he is still around. He is a great motivation to the squad,” the DIG says.

Republic Day parade: BSF soldier Dara Singh marches down Rajpath for record 18th time

A fidayeen (suicide) attack alert has been issued in Kashmir a day ahead of Republic Day on January 26.&nbsp;

Intelligence agencies said an attacker from Maharashtra, who is currently in the Valley, is expected to carry out a suicide bombing inside or near a Republic Day venue.&nbsp;

The agencies added that security personnel are to frisk everybody walking into the venues -- including women, since it is possible that the attacker is female.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Intelligence agencies said an attacker from Maharashtra, who is currently in the Valley, is expected to carry out a suicide bombing inside or near a Republic Day venue

A fidayeen (suicide) attack alert has been issued in Kashmir a day ahead of Republic Day on January 26. Intelligence agencies said an attacker from Maharashtra, who is currently in the Valley, is expected to carry out a suicide bombing inside or near a Republic Day venue. The agencies added that security personnel are to frisk everybody walking into the venues -- including women, since it is possible that the attacker is female.

Republic Day: Fidayeen alert issued in Kashmir

A couple of days ahead of the Republic Day, Twitter launches the India Gate emoji to commemorate the event.&nbsp;

The emoji will be available in nine languages.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rFcbIw-yX9I" width="560"></iframe>

The Prime Minister visits the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate every year to pay tribute to the martyrs before the Republic Day celebrations.&nbsp;

Defence Minister&#39;s official Twitter handle tweeted out using the India Gate emoji in nine languages.

&quot;#RepublicDay Parade will showcase the might of the Indian armed forces &amp; indigenously developed defence equipment along with the country&#39;s cultural heritage,&quot; noted the tweet.&nbsp;

The emoji will be made unavailable after January 29.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The emoji will be made unavailable after January 29.

A couple of days ahead of the Republic Day, Twitter launches the India Gate emoji to commemorate the event. The emoji will be available in nine languages. The Prime Minister visits the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate every year to pay tribute to the martyrs before the Republic Day celebrations. Defence Minister's official Twitter handle tweeted out using the India Gate emoji in nine languages. "#RepublicDay Parade will showcase the might of the Indian armed forces & indigenously developed defence equipment along with the country's cultural heritage," noted the tweet. The emoji will be made unavailable after January 29.

Now, celebrate Republic Day with India Gate emoji on Twitter

Reliance Jio on Wednesday unveiled its Republic Day offer wherein it reduced the prices of its plans and increased the data limit by 500 MB for its users.&nbsp;

Jio&#39;s popular 399 rupee plan with 70 days of validity with the data limit of 1 GB per day, will now cost 349 with same validity days but with 1.5 GB of data per day.

The 98 rupees of recharge pack validity will be increased to 28 days from 14.

The plans that have 1.5 Gb data per day will be enhanced to 2 Gb in the Republic Day offer.

The new offers will definitely step up the tariff war, with rival company&nbsp;Airtel which is also offering 399 plan with the validity of 84 days and daily data limit of 1 GB.

The offers would come into effect from January&nbsp;26 onwards.

According to media reports Reliance&nbsp;Jio, made a profit of 504 crores during the October-December quarter against Bharti airtel&#39;s 306 crores.

&nbsp;

Jio's popular 399 rupee plan will now cost 349 with same validity days but with 500mb extra data

Reliance Jio on Wednesday unveiled its Republic Day offer wherein it reduced the prices of its plans and increased the data limit by 500 MB for its users. Jio's popular 399 rupee plan with 70 days of validity with the data limit of 1 GB per day, will now cost 349 with same validity days but with 1.5 GB of data per day. The 98 rupees of recharge pack validity will be increased to 28 days from 14. The plans that have 1.5 Gb data per day will be enhanced to 2 Gb in the Republic Day offer. The new offers will definitely step up the tariff war, with rival company Airtel which is also offering 399 plan with the validity of 84 days and daily data limit of 1 GB. The offers would come into effect from January 26 onwards. According to media reports Reliance Jio, made a profit of 504 crores during the October-December quarter against Bharti airtel's 306 crores.

Jio Republic Day offer: Data limit increased, prices decreased

President Ram Nath Kovind today appeared emotional after he awarded the Ashok Chakra, India&#39;s highest peacetime military decoration, posthumously to Air Force Garud commando Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala here.

Corporal Nirala laid down his life after gunning down two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Bandipora district in November.

After presenting the award to Corporal Nirala&#39;s wife Sushmanand and his mother Malti Devi at the Republic Day Parade, Kovind was seen wiping his face and eyes with his handkerchief.

Corporal Nirala was part of a Garud Special Forces Unit of the IAF, a detachment of which was attached to a Rashtriya Rifles battalion under the aegis of &#39;Op Rakshak&#39;.

On November 18 last year, an offensive was launched in Chanderger village of Bandipora based on specific intelligence. The Garud detachment covertly approached the target house where the terrorists were hiding and laid a close quarter ambush.

In the violent exchange of fire, Corporal Nirala was hit by a volley of small arms fire. Despite being critically injured, he continued the retaliatory fire.

He later succumbed to the fatal gunshot wounds.

President Ram Nath Kovind today appeared emotional after he awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration, posthumously to Air Force Garud commando Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala here

President Ram Nath Kovind today appeared emotional after he awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration, posthumously to Air Force Garud commando Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala here. Corporal Nirala laid down his life after gunning down two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district in November. After presenting the award to Corporal Nirala's wife Sushmanand and his mother Malti Devi at the Republic Day Parade, Kovind was seen wiping his face and eyes with his handkerchief. Corporal Nirala was part of a Garud Special Forces Unit of the IAF, a detachment of which was attached to a Rashtriya Rifles battalion under the aegis of 'Op Rakshak'. On November 18 last year, an offensive was launched in Chanderger village of Bandipora based on specific intelligence. The Garud detachment covertly approached the target house where the terrorists were hiding and laid a close quarter ambush. In the violent exchange of fire, Corporal Nirala was hit by a volley of small arms fire. Despite being critically injured, he continued the retaliatory fire. He later succumbed to the fatal gunshot wounds.

R-Day: Prez turns emotional after honouring Garud commando

A cabinet minister in the Haryana government today urged people to unfurl national flag on religious places on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26.

&quot;I request people to unfurl national flag on religious places, including temples, mosques, churches, on the occasion of Republic Day,&quot; Vipul Goel, who holds portfolios of industries and commerce, told reporters here.

This will help in creating a &#39;new India&#39; as it will imbibe spirit of patriotism among the people, he said.

&quot;We will unfurl national flag on all religious places,&quot; he said adding that he would initiate the process from his home constituency Faridabad.

&quot;I along with people will visit religious places and request the concerned to put a national flag atop the shrines,&quot; he said.

&quot;This will further strengthen the spirit of nationalism among the people,&quot; he said.

&quot;Our biggest religion is nation&#39;s interest,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;its the agenda of the people of the country and not of any individual.&quot;

Refuting that this step will rake up a controversy, he said &quot;tricolour is the national symbol of the country.&quot;

On protest by a section of society against the screening of &#39;Padmaavat&#39;, he said that the protesters should desist from destroying the property.&nbsp;

The minister said the step will help in creating a 'new India' as it will imbibe spirit of patriotism among the people

A cabinet minister in the Haryana government today urged people to unfurl national flag on religious places on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26. "I request people to unfurl national flag on religious places, including temples, mosques, churches, on the occasion of Republic Day," Vipul Goel, who holds portfolios of industries and commerce, told reporters here. This will help in creating a 'new India' as it will imbibe spirit of patriotism among the people, he said. "We will unfurl national flag on all religious places," he said adding that he would initiate the process from his home constituency Faridabad. "I along with people will visit religious places and request the concerned to put a national flag atop the shrines," he said. "This will further strengthen the spirit of nationalism among the people," he said. "Our biggest religion is nation's interest," he said, adding that "its the agenda of the people of the country and not of any individual." Refuting that this step will rake up a controversy, he said "tricolour is the national symbol of the country." On protest by a section of society against the screening of 'Padmaavat', he said that the protesters should desist from destroying the property.

For Republic Day, Haryana minister asks people to hoist tricolour on religious
places

My Dear Fellow Citizens,

Greetings to all of you on the eve of our 69th Republic Day. This is a day for all of us to celebrate and honour our nation and our sovereignty. This is a day to remember with gratitude the enormous efforts and sacrifices of millions of freedom fighters whose blood and sweat gave us Independence and created our Republic. Above all, this is a day to cherish our republican values.

A Republic is its people. Citizens do not just make up and preserve a Republic; they are its ultimate stakeholders and in fact pillars. Each one of us is a pillar &ndash; the soldier who defends our Republic; the farmer who feeds our Republic; the forces that keep our Republic safe; the mother who nurtures our Republic; the doctor who heals our Republic; the nurse who tends to our Republic; the sanitation worker who makes our Republic cleaner and hygienic; the teacher who educates our Republic; the scientist who innovates for our Republic; the missile technologist who puts our Republic on a new trajectory; the wise tribal who conserves the ecology of our Republic; the engineer who re-imagines our Republic; the construction worker who builds our Republic; senior citizens who can look back with pride at how far they have brought our Republic; the youth in whom lie the energy, hopes and future of our Republic; and our dear children, who dream for our Republic.

There are so many more who contribute to our Republic in diverse ways and whom I may have missed mentioning. Happy Republic Day to all of you.

India became a Republic on January 26, 1950. This was the second major milestone in our nation building process. Independence had come a little over two years earlier. But it was with the framing and adoption of the Constitution &ndash; and the birth of the Republic of India &ndash; that we truly achieved the ethic of equality among all citizens, irrespective of religion, region or community. This ethic of equality complemented the liberty that had come at Independence. And a third principle also defined both the cooperative efforts at creating our Republic as well as the India that we wished to be. This was the principle of fraternity.

Independence had come after a great struggle in which millions had participated. They gave their all; many gave their lives. Inspired and led by Mahatma Gandhi, the men and women who took us to freedom could have rested on the gaining of Independence. They could have let down their guard, and remained satisfied with political freedom. But they did not rest. Instead, they re-doubled their efforts. They immersed themselves in the process of writing a Constitution. They saw the Constitution not just as a basic law for a new nation, but as a scripture for social transformation.

Our Constitution framers were men and women with great foresight. They understood the majesty of the rule of law, and of rule by laws. They represented an important phase in our national life. We are fortunate to have inherited its legacy in the form of the Constitution and the Republic.

The lessons from that formative period, the period that gave shape to our Republic, serve us well to this day. They serve us well in whatever we do, wherever we work, whichever goal we aim for. These lessons continue to spur our nation-building project. Nation building is a grand project. But it is also the compilation of a million &ndash; rather, a billion &ndash; smaller projects, each as sacred as the other. Nation building is also about building a family, building a neighbourhood, building a community, building an enterprise, building an institution. And building society.

A happy and equal-opportunity nation is built by happy and equal-opportunity families and communities. Families where girls have the same rights and the same access to education and healthcare as boys. Governments can bring in policies and laws to ensure justice to women &ndash; but these policies and laws can only be made effective by families and communities that must hear the voices of our daughters. We cannot shut our ears to their urgings for change.

A confident and forward-looking nation is built by confident and forward-looking young people. Over 60 per cent of our fellow citizens are below the age of 35. It is in them that our hopes lie. We have made strides in spreading literacy; now we must expand the frontiers of education and of knowledge. Our aspiration must be to reform, upgrade and enlarge our education system &ndash; and to make it relevant to 21st century realities of the digital economy, genomics, robotics and automation.

Many programmes and initiatives have been launched to equip our youth with the education and skills to compete in a globalised world. Sizeable resources have been set aside for these programmes. It is for our talented young people to make the most of these opportunities.

An innovative nation is built by innovative children. This must be our obsessive goal. Our schooling system has to encourage our children to think and to tinker, not just to memorise and reproduce. We have made strides in tackling hunger, but the challenge of malnutrition and of bringing the right micronutrients to the plate of every child is still there. This is important for both physical and cognitive development of our children &ndash; and for the future of our country. We simply have to invest in our human capital.

A civic-minded nation is built by civic-minded neighbourhoods, whether in our cities or our villages. Where we respect the next-door person&rsquo;s space, privacy and rights. Where we do not inconvenience our neighbours &ndash; while celebrating a festival or while resorting to a protest or on any other occasion. Where one can disagree with another viewpoint &ndash; or even with a historical context &ndash; without mocking a fellow citizen&rsquo;s dignity and personal space. This is fraternity in action.

A nation with a sense of selflessness is built by citizens and by a society that embraces selflessness. Where voluntary groups clean public places such as beaches and rivers. And care for orphaned children and homeless people, and even for homeless animals. Where we donate blood or a body organ to help a fellow citizen who may be a stranger to us. Where idealistic individuals travel to remote places to teach children, and change their lives with the magic of education. They do so not because anybody has asked them to, but because of a call from within.

Where a better-off family voluntarily gives up an entitlement &ndash; it could be subsidised LPG today and some other entitlement tomorrow &ndash; so that another family, which has a greater need, can avail it. Let us all collate our privileges and entitlements. And then look at less-privileged members of a similar background, those who are starting off from where we once started off. And let each of us introspect and ask: Is his need or her need greater than mine? The spirit of philanthropy and of giving is part of our age-old culture. Let us renew it.

A culturally vibrant nation is built by a collective will that cherishes and preserves cultural traditions, art forms and handicrafts. Whether these be folk theatre artistes, traditional musicians, weavers and handloom workers, or those whose families have been hand-making marvellous wooden toys for centuries. Or day-to-day articles made of bamboo.

A disciplined and morally upright nation is built by disciplined and morally upright institutions. Institutions that respect their fraternal relationship with other institutions. Institutions that maintain the integrity, discipline and limits of their functioning, without compromising on excellence. Institutions that are always more important than the individuals located there. And institutions where the holders and members make every attempt to live up to the office they occupy as trustees of the people.

And of course, the highest stage of India&rsquo;s nation-building project is to contribute to building a better world &ndash; a composite and cohesive world, a world at peace with itself and at peace with nature. This is the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam &ndash; of the World being One Family. It is an idea that may sound impractical in today&rsquo;s times of tensions and of terrorism. But it is an ideal that has inspired India for thousands of years &ndash; and that ideal can be felt in the very texture of our constitutional values. The principles of compassion, of assisting those in need, of building capacities of our neighbours, or even of those further away, underpin our society. These are the very principles that we bring to the international community.

Such principles are also meant for our global Indian family. When Indians living abroad face humanitarian or similar challenges, it is natural for us as a country to reach out to them. We have, and we will continue to do so.

Fellow citizens&nbsp;

I referred earlier to that glorious period between Independence and our first Republic Day. This was a period of constant striving &ndash; of dedication, determination and commitment to improving our country. And setting right the aberrations of our society. Today, we are at a similar juncture. We have achieved a lot as a nation, but much remains to be done. We need to work on this in the spirit of the generation that gave us our Republic.

In 2020, our Republic will turn 70. In 2022, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of our Independence. These are special occasions and we must strive, in the manner of the leaders of our national movement and the framers of our Constitution, to build the edifice of a better India &ndash; an India where each and every citizen will be able to realise his or her full potential. An India that will reach its deserved pedestal in the 21st century.

We need to further improve the lives of our hardworking farmers. Like mothers, they toil to feed us &ndash; more than a billion of us. We need to continue to modernise and strengthen our strategic manufacturing sector so as to provide the valiant personnel of our Armed Forces, and our police and paramilitary forces, the equipment that they need. We need to move ahead rapidly on the Sustainable Development Goals &ndash; Goals that commit us to eliminating poverty and hunger, to universal access to quality education and healthcare, and to giving our daughters equal opportunity in every field. We need to make clean, green, efficient and affordable energy reach our people. We need to ensure that housing for all becomes a living reality for the millions of families who await their own home. We need to craft a modern India that is both a land of talent &ndash; and a land of unlimited opportunities for that talent.

Above all, our Republic cannot rest and cannot be satisfied without meeting the basic needs and essential dignity of our less well-off brothers and sisters. I refer to those from a less privileged socio-economic background, from the weaker communities and from families that still live at the edge of poverty. It is our sacred obligation to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. This is non-negotiable for the Republic.

Fellow citizens

The promise of a developed India beckons us. This is the new stage of our nation-building project on which we have embarked. This is the Republic that our young people need to take forward and enhance &ndash; in keeping with their vision, their ambition and their ideals. And their vision, ambition and ideas, I am confident, will always draw inspiration from both our republican values &ndash; as well as from our ancient Indian ethos.

With those words, I once again wish all of you a very happy Republic Day. And wish all of you a very bright and fulfilling future.

Thank you

JAI HIND!

President Kovind said it is our “sacred obligation” to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time

My Dear Fellow Citizens, Greetings to all of you on the eve of our 69th Republic Day. This is a day for all of us to celebrate and honour our nation and our sovereignty. This is a day to remember with gratitude the enormous efforts and sacrifices of millions of freedom fighters whose blood and sweat gave us Independence and created our Republic. Above all, this is a day to cherish our republican values. A Republic is its people. Citizens do not just make up and preserve a Republic; they are its ultimate stakeholders and in fact pillars. Each one of us is a pillar – the soldier who defends our Republic; the farmer who feeds our Republic; the forces that keep our Republic safe; the mother who nurtures our Republic; the doctor who heals our Republic; the nurse who tends to our Republic; the sanitation worker who makes our Republic cleaner and hygienic; the teacher who educates our Republic; the scientist who innovates for our Republic; the missile technologist who puts our Republic on a new trajectory; the wise tribal who conserves the ecology of our Republic; the engineer who re-imagines our Republic; the construction worker who builds our Republic; senior citizens who can look back with pride at how far they have brought our Republic; the youth in whom lie the energy, hopes and future of our Republic; and our dear children, who dream for our Republic. There are so many more who contribute to our Republic in diverse ways and whom I may have missed mentioning. Happy Republic Day to all of you. India became a Republic on January 26, 1950. This was the second major milestone in our nation building process. Independence had come a little over two years earlier. But it was with the framing and adoption of the Constitution – and the birth of the Republic of India – that we truly achieved the ethic of equality among all citizens, irrespective of religion, region or community. This ethic of equality complemented the liberty that had come at Independence. And a third principle also defined both the cooperative efforts at creating our Republic as well as the India that we wished to be. This was the principle of fraternity. Independence had come after a great struggle in which millions had participated. They gave their all; many gave their lives. Inspired and led by Mahatma Gandhi, the men and women who took us to freedom could have rested on the gaining of Independence. They could have let down their guard, and remained satisfied with political freedom. But they did not rest. Instead, they re-doubled their efforts. They immersed themselves in the process of writing a Constitution. They saw the Constitution not just as a basic law for a new nation, but as a scripture for social transformation. Our Constitution framers were men and women with great foresight. They understood the majesty of the rule of law, and of rule by laws. They represented an important phase in our national life. We are fortunate to have inherited its legacy in the form of the Constitution and the Republic. The lessons from that formative period, the period that gave shape to our Republic, serve us well to this day. They serve us well in whatever we do, wherever we work, whichever goal we aim for. These lessons continue to spur our nation-building project. Nation building is a grand project. But it is also the compilation of a million – rather, a billion – smaller projects, each as sacred as the other. Nation building is also about building a family, building a neighbourhood, building a community, building an enterprise, building an institution. And building society. A happy and equal-opportunity nation is built by happy and equal-opportunity families and communities. Families where girls have the same rights and the same access to education and healthcare as boys. Governments can bring in policies and laws to ensure justice to women – but these policies and laws can only be made effective by families and communities that must hear the voices of our daughters. We cannot shut our ears to their urgings for change. A confident and forward-looking nation is built by confident and forward-looking young people. Over 60 per cent of our fellow citizens are below the age of 35. It is in them that our hopes lie. We have made strides in spreading literacy; now we must expand the frontiers of education and of knowledge. Our aspiration must be to reform, upgrade and enlarge our education system – and to make it relevant to 21st century realities of the digital economy, genomics, robotics and automation. Many programmes and initiatives have been launched to equip our youth with the education and skills to compete in a globalised world. Sizeable resources have been set aside for these programmes. It is for our talented young people to make the most of these opportunities. An innovative nation is built by innovative children. This must be our obsessive goal. Our schooling system has to encourage our children to think and to tinker, not just to memorise and reproduce. We have made strides in tackling hunger, but the challenge of malnutrition and of bringing the right micronutrients to the plate of every child is still there. This is important for both physical and cognitive development of our children – and for the future of our country. We simply have to invest in our human capital. A civic-minded nation is built by civic-minded neighbourhoods, whether in our cities or our villages. Where we respect the next-door person’s space, privacy and rights. Where we do not inconvenience our neighbours – while celebrating a festival or while resorting to a protest or on any other occasion. Where one can disagree with another viewpoint – or even with a historical context – without mocking a fellow citizen’s dignity and personal space. This is fraternity in action. A nation with a sense of selflessness is built by citizens and by a society that embraces selflessness. Where voluntary groups clean public places such as beaches and rivers. And care for orphaned children and homeless people, and even for homeless animals. Where we donate blood or a body organ to help a fellow citizen who may be a stranger to us. Where idealistic individuals travel to remote places to teach children, and change their lives with the magic of education. They do so not because anybody has asked them to, but because of a call from within. Where a better-off family voluntarily gives up an entitlement – it could be subsidised LPG today and some other entitlement tomorrow – so that another family, which has a greater need, can avail it. Let us all collate our privileges and entitlements. And then look at less-privileged members of a similar background, those who are starting off from where we once started off. And let each of us introspect and ask: Is his need or her need greater than mine? The spirit of philanthropy and of giving is part of our age-old culture. Let us renew it. A culturally vibrant nation is built by a collective will that cherishes and preserves cultural traditions, art forms and handicrafts. Whether these be folk theatre artistes, traditional musicians, weavers and handloom workers, or those whose families have been hand-making marvellous wooden toys for centuries. Or day-to-day articles made of bamboo. A disciplined and morally upright nation is built by disciplined and morally upright institutions. Institutions that respect their fraternal relationship with other institutions. Institutions that maintain the integrity, discipline and limits of their functioning, without compromising on excellence. Institutions that are always more important than the individuals located there. And institutions where the holders and members make every attempt to live up to the office they occupy as trustees of the people. And of course, the highest stage of India’s nation-building project is to contribute to building a better world – a composite and cohesive world, a world at peace with itself and at peace with nature. This is the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – of the World being One Family. It is an idea that may sound impractical in today’s times of tensions and of terrorism. But it is an ideal that has inspired India for thousands of years – and that ideal can be felt in the very texture of our constitutional values. The principles of compassion, of assisting those in need, of building capacities of our neighbours, or even of those further away, underpin our society. These are the very principles that we bring to the international community. Such principles are also meant for our global Indian family. When Indians living abroad face humanitarian or similar challenges, it is natural for us as a country to reach out to them. We have, and we will continue to do so. Fellow citizens I referred earlier to that glorious period between Independence and our first Republic Day. This was a period of constant striving – of dedication, determination and commitment to improving our country. And setting right the aberrations of our society. Today, we are at a similar juncture. We have achieved a lot as a nation, but much remains to be done. We need to work on this in the spirit of the generation that gave us our Republic. In 2020, our Republic will turn 70. In 2022, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of our Independence. These are special occasions and we must strive, in the manner of the leaders of our national movement and the framers of our Constitution, to build the edifice of a better India – an India where each and every citizen will be able to realise his or her full potential. An India that will reach its deserved pedestal in the 21st century. We need to further improve the lives of our hardworking farmers. Like mothers, they toil to feed us – more than a billion of us. We need to continue to modernise and strengthen our strategic manufacturing sector so as to provide the valiant personnel of our Armed Forces, and our police and paramilitary forces, the equipment that they need. We need to move ahead rapidly on the Sustainable Development Goals – Goals that commit us to eliminating poverty and hunger, to universal access to quality education and healthcare, and to giving our daughters equal opportunity in every field. We need to make clean, green, efficient and affordable energy reach our people. We need to ensure that housing for all becomes a living reality for the millions of families who await their own home. We need to craft a modern India that is both a land of talent – and a land of unlimited opportunities for that talent. Above all, our Republic cannot rest and cannot be satisfied without meeting the basic needs and essential dignity of our less well-off brothers and sisters. I refer to those from a less privileged socio-economic background, from the weaker communities and from families that still live at the edge of poverty. It is our sacred obligation to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. This is non-negotiable for the Republic. Fellow citizens The promise of a developed India beckons us. This is the new stage of our nation-building project on which we have embarked. This is the Republic that our young people need to take forward and enhance – in keeping with their vision, their ambition and their ideals. And their vision, ambition and ideas, I am confident, will always draw inspiration from both our republican values – as well as from our ancient Indian ethos. With those words, I once again wish all of you a very happy Republic Day. And wish all of you a very bright and fulfilling future. Thank you JAI HIND!

Full text of speech by President Ram Nath Kovind

Ahead of the 69th Republic Day in India, Congress President Rahul Gandhi extended wishes to people by tweeting a letter.

He tweeted &quot; On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I&#39;m writing this #LettertotheNation, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution.

I wish each of you a very Happy Republic Day!

Jai Hind&quot;

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On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I&#39;m writing this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LettertotheNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LettertotheNation</a>, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution. 
 
I wish each of you a very Happy Republic Day! 
 
Jai Hind. <a href="https://t.co/VaJ3WOeBqx">pic.twitter.com/VaJ3WOeBqx</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/956564180915466240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Through his letter, he reminded the citizens of the Indian Constitution and the commitments that it offers.

The letter was issued by All India Congress Committee.&nbsp;

He tweeted 'On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I'm writing this #LettertotheNation, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution'

Ahead of the 69th Republic Day in India, Congress President Rahul Gandhi extended wishes to people by tweeting a letter. He tweeted " On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I'm writing this #LettertotheNation, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution. I wish each of you a very Happy Republic Day! Jai Hind" On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I'm writing this #LettertotheNation, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution. I wish each of you a very Happy Republic Day! Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/VaJ3WOeBqx — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 25, 2018 × Through his letter, he reminded the citizens of the Indian Constitution and the commitments that it offers. The letter was issued by All India Congress Committee.

Rahul Gandhi extends Republic Day wishes, tweets letter

The government on Thursday announced the list of this year&#39;s Padma awardees.

The&nbsp;Padma Bhushan&nbsp;is the third-highest&nbsp;civilian award&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Republic of India, preceded by the&nbsp;Bharat Ratna&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Padma Vibhushan&nbsp;and followed by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/heres-the-list-of-padma-shri-awardees-for-2018-30779" target="_blank">Padma Shri.</a>

Here&#39;s the full list of awardees:

<ul>
	<li>Shri Pankaj Advani, hails from Karnataka got the award in the field of Billiards/Snooker</li>
	<li>Shri Philipose Mar Chrysostom,&nbsp;hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Spiritualism</li>
	<li>Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni,&nbsp;hails from Jharkhand got the award in the field of Cricket</li>
	<li>Shri Alexander Kadakin, &nbsp;hails from Russia got the award in the field of Public Affairs</li>
	<li>Shri Ramachandran Nagaswamy,&nbsp;hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Archaeology</li>
	<li>Shri Ved Prakash Nanda,&nbsp;hails from USA got the award in the field of Literature and Education</li>
	<li>Shri Laxman Pai,&nbsp;hails from Goa got the award in the field of Painting</li>
	<li>Shri Arvind Parikh,&nbsp;hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music</li>
	<li>Ms. Sharda Sinha,&nbsp;hails from Bihar got the award in the field of Music</li>
</ul>

The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri

The government on Thursday announced the list of this year's Padma awardees. The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Here's the full list of awardees: Shri Pankaj Advani, hails from Karnataka got the award in the field of Billiards/Snooker Shri Philipose Mar Chrysostom, hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Spiritualism Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni, hails from Jharkhand got the award in the field of Cricket Shri Alexander Kadakin, hails from Russia got the award in the field of Public Affairs Shri Ramachandran Nagaswamy, hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Archaeology Shri Ved Prakash Nanda, hails from USA got the award in the field of Literature and Education Shri Laxman Pai, hails from Goa got the award in the field of Painting Shri Arvind Parikh, hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music Ms. Sharda Sinha, hails from Bihar got the award in the field of Music

Here's the complete list of Padma Bhushan awardees of 2018

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday addressed the nation for the first time on the eve of 69th Republic Day of India.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day today, President Kovind received the ASEAN Heads of State and Government at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a lunch in their honour.

Here are the highlights of his speech:&nbsp;

President Ram Nath Kovind said today is the day to remember the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country.

President Kovind recalls contributions of nurses who serve the people, sanitary workers who help keep the nation clean, teachers who educate the people, scientists who innovate, and engineers who help build new infrastructure.

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Senior citizens who can look back with pride at how far they have brought our Republic; the youth in whom lie the energy, hopes and future of our Republic; and our dear children, who dream for our Republic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PresidentKovind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PresidentKovind</a>
&mdash; President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/956525294780739585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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President Kovind pays tributes to soldiers who protect the nation, to farmers who feed us, to police and paramilitary forces who provide us security, to mothers who take care of us, and to doctors who treat people who are ill.

Our people are not only the builders of this republic, but are its pillars, says Kovind.

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Independence had come after a great struggle in which millions had participated. They gave their all; many gave their lives. Inspired and led by Mahatma Gandhi, the men and women who took us to freedom could have rested on the gaining of Independence <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PresidentKovind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PresidentKovind</a>
&mdash; President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/956525569557975042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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President Kovind thanked all army men, doctors, farmers, nurses, scientists, engineers and the mothers of the county.

He said there were many more people doing a lot for the country, who he could not mention, but would like to thank as well for their service.

He said various programmes have been started by the government to impart better education to the youth, which they should take advantage of.

One of the biggest challenges is dealing with malnutrition of the children of the country and although much progress has been made, a lot more needs to be done, said President Kovind.

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Watch LIVE as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PresidentKovind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PresidentKovind</a> addresses the nation on the eve of the 69th Republic Day <a href="https://t.co/lAXYscH4pL">https://t.co/lAXYscH4pL</a> <a href="https://t.co/bulpszILhU">pic.twitter.com/bulpszILhU</a>
&mdash; President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/956520068350754816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

President Kovind addresses the nation on eve of 69th Republic Day

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday addressed the nation for the first time on the eve of 69th Republic Day of India. Earlier in the day today, President Kovind received the ASEAN Heads of State and Government at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a lunch in their honour. Here are the highlights of his speech: President Ram Nath Kovind said today is the day to remember the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country. President Kovind recalls contributions of nurses who serve the people, sanitary workers who help keep the nation clean, teachers who educate the people, scientists who innovate, and engineers who help build new infrastructure. Senior citizens who can look back with pride at how far they have brought our Republic; the youth in whom lie the energy, hopes and future of our Republic; and our dear children, who dream for our Republic #PresidentKovind — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 25, 2018 × President Kovind pays tributes to soldiers who protect the nation, to farmers who feed us, to police and paramilitary forces who provide us security, to mothers who take care of us, and to doctors who treat people who are ill. Our people are not only the builders of this republic, but are its pillars, says Kovind. Independence had come after a great struggle in which millions had participated. They gave their all; many gave their lives. Inspired and led by Mahatma Gandhi, the men and women who took us to freedom could have rested on the gaining of Independence #PresidentKovind — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 25, 2018 × President Kovind thanked all army men, doctors, farmers, nurses, scientists, engineers and the mothers of the county. He said there were many more people doing a lot for the country, who he could not mention, but would like to thank as well for their service. He said various programmes have been started by the government to impart better education to the youth, which they should take advantage of. One of the biggest challenges is dealing with malnutrition of the children of the country and although much progress has been made, a lot more needs to be done, said President Kovind. Watch LIVE as #PresidentKovind addresses the nation on the eve of the 69th Republic Day https://t.co/lAXYscH4pL pic.twitter.com/bulpszILhU — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 25, 2018 ×

26th January 1950, India became a full-fledged nation after implementing its Constitution. The celebrations on this day are primarily related to the show of the military might of India. The primary function is held at Rajpath in New Delhi where the President of India, who is also the Commander in Chief of all forces, take the salute from the marching contingents. Considering that the show of military might is an integral part of Republic Day celebration, we have to ask the political establishment if it giving due emphasis to Indian forces?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Since 1950, much water has been flown through the rivers of this country and India has become much more self-reliant in terms of defence production. Till a few decades back, we had the majority of military equipment bought or borrowed from other countries but this practise does not hold true anymore. Most of the equipment is either developed and manufactured in India or made in India as part of technology transfer.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India is now making Tanks, artillery guns, Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, high tech communication systems, satellites, advanced air defence systems, fighter and transport aircrafts, attack and utility helicopters, battle cruisers, aircraft carriers and submarines at its own. But it took a much longer journey which we should not have taken had we got a strong political will. Perhaps, we need to learn from Israel as to how they have prioritised the development of the military and we have not.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In last seven decades or so, we have understood that the most important thing required for a country to become a superpower is the political will of its leadership which saw major ups and downs in our country. During this time, the emphasis of our rulers should have laid on India&rsquo;s military and economic development.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As the first prime minister of India, Mr Nehru lay primary emphasis on developing relationships with other countries and, hence, the military was not given due importance. The humiliation of 1962 war still haunts us where our soldiers were left on the icy heights of Himalaya with no equipment, clothing or even the ammunition to fight the Chinese aggression. Our troops were not only defeated but were butchered by the advancing Chinese forces.

&nbsp;

After Nehru&#39;s death, the Congress era of just two years (1964-1966) saw three prime ministers and they were unable to take any major military decision. This era saw another war of 1965 where political leadership clearly failed to leverage the gains achieved by the military on the negotiation table.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Contrary to her predecessors, Indira Gandhi&rsquo;s gave some of the desired emphasis to the Defence Forces. The creation of RAW, India&rsquo;s Special Forces, Integrated Guided Missiles Program, India&rsquo;s Space Program, India&rsquo;s Nuclear Program and others got initiated during this time. However, due to the increased expenditures on welfare activities, the fund allocation for Defence was still very low.

&nbsp;

Prime Minister Morarji Desai who was in power in the late 1970s, was also not fond of the military; he almost disbanded the intelligence agencies. anticipating that they are spying on him.&nbsp;

Indira Gandhi became the prime minister, once again, for a short duration from 1980 to 1984 but was unfortunately killed before she could take up any concrete step to boost up the country&rsquo;s Defence.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was followed by Rajiv Era from 1984-1989 which was primarily aimed at economic development and IT revolution. We must mention that the highest ever defence budget of 3.9% was recorded in 1987 but due to corruption in defence deals, the Military could not be benefitted really. We are still carrying the legacy of Bofors even after 30 years.

&nbsp;

The prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1998 to 2004 came as a sigh of relief which saw many developments, including Pokhran II, Kargil war and Operation Parakram but the last one really showed us the mirror as to where do we stand in terms of our military might.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The government took some major decisions but before they could be executed, the government lost the elections and the second Congress era started under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The government tried to complete various projects initiated by Mr Vajpayee, however, since government tried to put more money into welfare schemes, the sufferer was military. The Defence budget saw a continuous decline from 2.9% in 2010 to 2.6% in 2014. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Under the current government of Prime Minister Modi, things are progressing but it is assumed that it will take another 6-7 years to do the damage control of the past. We are moving faster than previous years but still it requires lot many efforts. What is needed most is that Indians must come out of the mentality of a developing nation and understand the meaning of being a world superpower. We indeed are. We have the will, we have the potential, we have the talent. Only the correct and effective utilisation of resources and a right mindset is needed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India celebrates its Republic Day with a display of its military might but the country's political establishment have not taken due care of its military.

26th January 1950, India became a full-fledged nation after implementing its Constitution. The celebrations on this day are primarily related to the show of the military might of India. The primary function is held at Rajpath in New Delhi where the President of India, who is also the Commander in Chief of all forces, take the salute from the marching contingents. Considering that the show of military might is an integral part of Republic Day celebration, we have to ask the political establishment if it giving due emphasis to Indian forces? Since 1950, much water has been flown through the rivers of this country and India has become much more self-reliant in terms of defence production. Till a few decades back, we had the majority of military equipment bought or borrowed from other countries but this practise does not hold true anymore. Most of the equipment is either developed and manufactured in India or made in India as part of technology transfer. India is now making Tanks, artillery guns, Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, high tech communication systems, satellites, advanced air defence systems, fighter and transport aircrafts, attack and utility helicopters, battle cruisers, aircraft carriers and submarines at its own. But it took a much longer journey which we should not have taken had we got a strong political will. Perhaps, we need to learn from Israel as to how they have prioritised the development of the military and we have not. In last seven decades or so, we have understood that the most important thing required for a country to become a superpower is the political will of its leadership which saw major ups and downs in our country. During this time, the emphasis of our rulers should have laid on India’s military and economic development. As the first prime minister of India, Mr Nehru lay primary emphasis on developing relationships with other countries and, hence, the military was not given due importance. The humiliation of 1962 war still haunts us where our soldiers were left on the icy heights of Himalaya with no equipment, clothing or even the ammunition to fight the Chinese aggression. Our troops were not only defeated but were butchered by the advancing Chinese forces. After Nehru's death, the Congress era of just two years (1964-1966) saw three prime ministers and they were unable to take any major military decision. This era saw another war of 1965 where political leadership clearly failed to leverage the gains achieved by the military on the negotiation table. Contrary to her predecessors, Indira Gandhi’s gave some of the desired emphasis to the Defence Forces. The creation of RAW, India’s Special Forces, Integrated Guided Missiles Program, India’s Space Program, India’s Nuclear Program and others got initiated during this time. However, due to the increased expenditures on welfare activities, the fund allocation for Defence was still very low. Prime Minister Morarji Desai who was in power in the late 1970s, was also not fond of the military; he almost disbanded the intelligence agencies. anticipating that they are spying on him. Indira Gandhi became the prime minister, once again, for a short duration from 1980 to 1984 but was unfortunately killed before she could take up any concrete step to boost up the country’s Defence. It was followed by Rajiv Era from 1984-1989 which was primarily aimed at economic development and IT revolution. We must mention that the highest ever defence budget of 3.9% was recorded in 1987 but due to corruption in defence deals, the Military could not be benefitted really. We are still carrying the legacy of Bofors even after 30 years. The prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1998 to 2004 came as a sigh of relief which saw many developments, including Pokhran II, Kargil war and Operation Parakram but the last one really showed us the mirror as to where do we stand in terms of our military might. The government took some major decisions but before they could be executed, the government lost the elections and the second Congress era started under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The government tried to complete various projects initiated by Mr Vajpayee, however, since government tried to put more money into welfare schemes, the sufferer was military. The Defence budget saw a continuous decline from 2.9% in 2010 to 2.6% in 2014. Under the current government of Prime Minister Modi, things are progressing but it is assumed that it will take another 6-7 years to do the damage control of the past. We are moving faster than previous years but still it requires lot many efforts. What is needed most is that Indians must come out of the mentality of a developing nation and understand the meaning of being a world superpower. We indeed are. We have the will, we have the potential, we have the talent. Only the correct and effective utilisation of resources and a right mindset is needed. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Is Republic Day really about India's military might?

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-to-address-plenary-session-of-india-asean-commemorative-summit-today-30707">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> is holding bilateral meetings with the leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries who have gathered in New Delhi to join him in the Republic Day celebrations. This will be the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/south-asian-leaders-arrive-in-india-for-indo-asean-summit-30685">biggest ever gathering of foreign leaders</a> at the Republic Day parade that showcases India&#39;s military might and cultural diversity.

Under its &#39;Act East&#39; policy, New Delhi is pushing to boost its relationship via connectivity, commerce and culture with this regional bloc.

In talks with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, PM Modi discussed trade and investment, defence and security, education, and people-to-people cooperation.

&quot;An agreement to facilitate investment was signed,&quot; External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Twitter.

India-Philippines bilateral trade stood at nearly $2 billion in 2016-17. In 2016-17, India&#39;s exports amounted to $1.487 billion and imports totaled $494 million.

The Philippines also showed interest in studying and implementing a digital identity system <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/asean-summit-philippines-shows-interest-in-aadhaar-30741">inspired by India&rsquo;s Aadhaar</a> and the software stack built around it. According to sources, the Philippines has sent queries for details to know about the Aadhaar details.

Modi visited the Philippines in November last year to attend the ASEAN-India Summit. It was the first prime ministerial visit from India to that southeast Asian nation in 36 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1981. During that visit, the two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement, including in the area of off-shore patrol vehicles. The Filipino defence minister is expected to visit India soon for further talks.

Modi and Duterte agreed to encourage their private sectors to collaborate as part of India&#39;s &#39;Act East&#39; policy and the Philippines&#39;s Build-Build-Build programme.

Prior to his meeting with Duterte, Modi held bilateral meetings with Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. &quot;The two leaders had a productive discussion on intensifying bilateral cooperation, including follow up on key decisions taken during Prime Minister&#39;s visit to Myanmar in September 2017,&quot; External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the exodus of Rohingya refugees from the Rakhine state in Myanmar to Bangladesh since August last year.

Modi also met his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. After the meeting, India and Vietnam signed agreements in the areas of information and broadcasting, and space cooperation.

According to Kumar, Modi and Phuc &quot;discussed cooperation in trade and investment, defence, maritime and other areas&quot;.

During Modi&#39;s visit to Vietnam in September 2016, the India-Vietnam relationship was upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which Hanoi only has with Moscow and Beijing. India also plans to share the BrahMos missile system with Vietnam.

India and the Southeast Asia nations have stressed the need for freedom of navigation and open seas and India already has strong naval ties with countries such as Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

But several Southeast Asian countries locked in territorial disputes with China have sought even greater Indian engagement in the region, experts say.

&quot;China&#39;s distinctly hegemonic moves in the last few years in the South China Sea and its growing assertiveness have made ASEAN look towards India as a partner for equilibrium,&quot; said Arvind Gupta, former Indian deputy national security adviser who now heads the influential Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi with close ties to the ruling government.

The ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Under its 'Act East' policy, New Delhi is pushing to boost its relationship via connectivity, commerce and culture with this regional bloc.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral meetings with the leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries who have gathered in New Delhi to join him in the Republic Day celebrations. This will be the biggest ever gathering of foreign leaders at the Republic Day parade that showcases India's military might and cultural diversity. Under its 'Act East' policy, New Delhi is pushing to boost its relationship via connectivity, commerce and culture with this regional bloc. In talks with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, PM Modi discussed trade and investment, defence and security, education, and people-to-people cooperation. "An agreement to facilitate investment was signed," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Twitter. India-Philippines bilateral trade stood at nearly $2 billion in 2016-17. In 2016-17, India's exports amounted to $1.487 billion and imports totaled $494 million. The Philippines also showed interest in studying and implementing a digital identity system inspired by India’s Aadhaar and the software stack built around it. According to sources, the Philippines has sent queries for details to know about the Aadhaar details. Modi visited the Philippines in November last year to attend the ASEAN-India Summit. It was the first prime ministerial visit from India to that southeast Asian nation in 36 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1981. During that visit, the two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement, including in the area of off-shore patrol vehicles. The Filipino defence minister is expected to visit India soon for further talks. Modi and Duterte agreed to encourage their private sectors to collaborate as part of India's 'Act East' policy and the Philippines's Build-Build-Build programme. Prior to his meeting with Duterte, Modi held bilateral meetings with Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. "The two leaders had a productive discussion on intensifying bilateral cooperation, including follow up on key decisions taken during Prime Minister's visit to Myanmar in September 2017," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the exodus of Rohingya refugees from the Rakhine state in Myanmar to Bangladesh since August last year. Modi also met his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. After the meeting, India and Vietnam signed agreements in the areas of information and broadcasting, and space cooperation. According to Kumar, Modi and Phuc "discussed cooperation in trade and investment, defence, maritime and other areas". During Modi's visit to Vietnam in September 2016, the India-Vietnam relationship was upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which Hanoi only has with Moscow and Beijing. India also plans to share the BrahMos missile system with Vietnam. India and the Southeast Asia nations have stressed the need for freedom of navigation and open seas and India already has strong naval ties with countries such as Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. But several Southeast Asian countries locked in territorial disputes with China have sought even greater Indian engagement in the region, experts say. "China's distinctly hegemonic moves in the last few years in the South China Sea and its growing assertiveness have made ASEAN look towards India as a partner for equilibrium," said Arvind Gupta, former Indian deputy national security adviser who now heads the influential Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi with close ties to the ruling government. The ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

From Aadhaar to trade and commerce: Here's what PM Modi discussed with ASEAN leaders

The government on Thursday announced the list of this year&#39;s Padma awardees.

The awards -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri -- are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year.

More than 15,700 people applied for the prestigious awards for 2018, with the government laying stress on honouring the unsung heroes, an official said.

Three people were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, nine people were awarded the Padma Bhushan and 89 people were awarded the Padma Shree this year.&nbsp;

Padma&nbsp;Vibhushan

<ul>
	<li>Shri Illaiyaraja,&nbsp;hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Music</li>
	<li>Shri Ghulam Mustafa Khan,&nbsp;hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music</li>
	<li>Shri Parameswaran Parameswaran,&nbsp;hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Literature and Education</li>
</ul>

Padma Bhushan

Here&#39;s the full list of awardees:

<ul>
	<li>Shri Pankaj Advani, hails from Karnataka got the award in the field of Billiards/Snooker</li>
	<li>Shri Philipose Mar Chrysostom,&nbsp;hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Spiritualism</li>
	<li>Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni,&nbsp;hails from Jharkhand got the award in the field of Cricket</li>
	<li>Shri Alexander Kadakin, &nbsp;hails from Russia got the award in the field of Public Affairs</li>
	<li>Shri Ramachandran Nagaswamy,&nbsp;hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Archaeology</li>
	<li>Shri Ved Prakash Nanda,&nbsp;hails from USA got the award in the field of Literature and Education</li>
	<li>Shri Laxman Pai,&nbsp;hails from Goa got the award in the field of Painting</li>
	<li>Shri Arvind Parikh,&nbsp;hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music</li>
	<li>Ms. Sharda Sinha,&nbsp;hails from Bihar got the award in the field of Music</li>
</ul>

Padma&nbsp;Shri

Here is the list of awardees:

<ul>
	<li>Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan, a Tamil folk-art exponent and retired professor at the Department of folk arts and culture, Madurai Kamaraj University Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan</li>
	<li>Silagatti Narasamma, a nonagenarian farm labourer providing midwifery services in backwards regions in Karnataka without medical facilities. She has a talent for checking baby&#39;s pulse in the womb, position of the head and baby&#39;s health etc.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Subhasini Mistry, a lady from rural Bengal who toiled 20 years as a housemaid and daily labourer to build Humanity Hospital for the poor in West Bengal.</li>
	<li>Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Madurai professor who developed and patented an innovative method to reuse plastic waste to construct roads.</li>
	<li>Yeshi Dhoden, a monk physician who is a foremost expert of Sowa Rigpa (Tibetian Herbal Medicine).&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Murlikant Patekar, who is India&#39;s first Paralympic gold medalist in 1972 Germany Paralympics and won gold in 50 m freestyle swimming, setting a world record at 37.33 seconds.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Sudhanshu Biswas, a 99-year-old freedom fighter who dedicated his life in service to the poor.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>M R Rajagopal, palliative care in pain relief care and medicine to people suffering from life-limiting or terminal illness.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Arvind Gupta, who inspired generations of students to learn Science from trash.</li>
	<li>Bhajju Shyam, an internationally-acclaimed Gond artist - a traditional tribal painting style if Madhya Pradesh.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Lakshmikutty, a tribal woman who prepares 500 herbal medicines from her memory and helped thousands of people against snake and insect bites.</li>
	<li>Shri Abhay Bang, Medicine Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Ms. Rani Bang, Medicine Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Damodar Ganesh Bapat, Social Work, Chhattisgarh</li>
	<li>Shri Prafulla Govinda Baruah, Literature and Education-Journalism, Assam</li>
	<li>Shri Mohan Swaroop Bhatia, Art-Folk Music, Uttar Pradesh</li>
	<li>Ms. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, Sports-Weightlifting, Manipur</li>
	<li>Shri Pandit Shyamlal Chaturvedi, Literature and Education-Journalism, Chhattisgarh</li>
	<li>Shri Jose Ma Joey, Trade &amp; Industry, Philippines</li>
	<li>Ms. Langpoklakpam Subadani, Devi Art-Weaving, Manipur</li>
	<li>Shri Somdev Devvarman, Sports-Tennis, Tripura</li>
	<li>Shri Yeshi Dhoden, Medicine, Himachal Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Arup Kumar Dutta, Literature and Education, Assam</li>
	<li>Shri Doddarange Gowda, Art-Lyrics, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Shri Digamber Hansda, Literature and Education, Jharkhand</li>
	<li>Shri Ramli Bin Ibrahim, Art-Dance, Malaysia</li>
	<li>Shri Anwar Jalalpuri, Literature and Education, Uttar Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Piyong Temjen Jamir, Literature and Education, Nagaland</li>
	<li>Ms.&nbsp;Sitavva Joddati, Social Work, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Ms. Malti Joshi, Literature and Education, Madhya Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Manoj Joshi, Art-Acting, Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Rameshwarlal Kabra, Trade &amp; Industry, Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Pran Kishore Kaul, Art, Jammu and Kashmir</li>
	<li>Shri Bounlap Keokangna, Others-Architecture, Laos</li>
	<li>Shri Vijay Kichlu, Art-Music, West Bengal</li>
	<li>Shri Tommy Koh, Public Affairs, Singapore</li>
	<li>Ms. Joyshree Goswami Mahanta, Literature and Education, Assam</li>
	<li>Shri Narayan Das Maharaj, Others-Spiritualism, Rajasthan</li>
	<li>Shri Pravakara Maharana , Art-Sculpture, Odisha</li>
	<li>Shri Hun Many, Public Affairs, Cambodia</li>
	<li>Ms. Nouf Marwaai , Others- Yoga, Saudi Arabia</li>
	<li>Shri Zaverilal Mehta, Literature and Education-Journalism, Gujarat</li>
	<li>Shri Krishna Bihari Mishra, Literature and Education, West Bengal</li>
	<li>Shri Sisir Purushottam Mishra, Art-Cinema, Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Tomio Mizokami, Literature and Education, Japan</li>
	<li>Shri Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, Others-Spiritualism, Thailand</li>
	<li>Shri Keshav Rao Musalgaonkar, Literature and Education, Madhya Pradesh</li>
	<li>Dr Thant Myint , Public Affairs, Myanmar</li>
	<li>Ms. V Nanammal, Others-Yoga, Tamil Nadu</li>
	<li>Shri I Nyoman Nuarta, Art- Sculpture&nbsp; Indonesia</li>
	<li>Shri Malai Haji Abdullah Bin Malai Haji Othman, Social Work, Brunei Darussalam</li>
	<li>Shri Gobaradhan Panika, Art-Weaving, Odisha</li>
	<li>Shri Bhabani Charan Pattanaik, Public Affairs, Odisha</li>
	<li>Shri Habibullo Rajabov (Foreigner), Literature and Education, Tajikistan</li>
	<li>Shri Sampat Ramteke (Posthumous), Social Work,Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Chandra Sekhar Rath, Literature and Education, Odisha</li>
	<li>Shri S S Rathore, Civil Service, Gujarat</li>
	<li>Shri Amitava Roy, Science and Engineering, West Bengal</li>
	<li>Shri Sanduk Ruit (Foreigner), MedicineOphthalmology, Nepal</li>
	<li>Shri R Sathyanarayana, Art-Music, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Shri Pankaj M Shah, Medicine-Oncolog,y Gujarat</li>
	<li>Shri Bhajju Shyam, Art-Painting, Madhya Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Maharao Raghuveer Singh, Literature and Education, Rajasthan</li>
	<li>Shri Kidambi Srikanth, Sports-Badminton, Andhra Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Ibrahim Sutar, Art-Music, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji,, Others-Spiritualism, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Ms. Lentina Ao Thakkar, Social Work, Nagaland</li>
	<li>Shri Vikram Chandra Thaku, Science and Engineering, Uttarakhand</li>
	<li>Shri Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Tharanathan (Duo), Art-Music, Karnataka</li>
	<li>Shri Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Thyagarajan (Duo), Art-Music, Karnataka</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Shri Nguyen Tien Thien,&nbsp;Others-Spiritualism, Vietnam</li>
	<li>Shri Bhagirath Prasad Tripathi, Literature and Education, Uttar Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Science and Engineering, Tamil Nadu</li>
	<li>Shri Manas Bihari Verma, Science and Engineering, Bihar</li>
	<li>Shri Panatawane Gangadhar Vithobaji, Literature and Education,&nbsp;Maharashtra</li>
	<li>Shri Romulus Whitaker, Others-Wildlife Conservation, Tamil Nadu</li>
	<li>Shri Baba Yogendra, Art, Madhya Pradesh</li>
	<li>Shri A Zakia, Literature and Education, Mizoram</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
</ul>

Last year, the number of Padma awardees was 89, which included seven recipients each of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan.

The awards -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri -- are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year

The government on Thursday announced the list of this year's Padma awardees. The awards -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri -- are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year. More than 15,700 people applied for the prestigious awards for 2018, with the government laying stress on honouring the unsung heroes, an official said. Three people were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, nine people were awarded the Padma Bhushan and 89 people were awarded the Padma Shree this year. Padma Vibhushan Shri Illaiyaraja, hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Music Shri Ghulam Mustafa Khan, hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music Shri Parameswaran Parameswaran, hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Literature and Education Padma Bhushan Here's the full list of awardees: Shri Pankaj Advani, hails from Karnataka got the award in the field of Billiards/Snooker Shri Philipose Mar Chrysostom, hails from Kerala got the award in the field of Spiritualism Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni, hails from Jharkhand got the award in the field of Cricket Shri Alexander Kadakin, hails from Russia got the award in the field of Public Affairs Shri Ramachandran Nagaswamy, hails from Tamil Nadu got the award in the field of Archaeology Shri Ved Prakash Nanda, hails from USA got the award in the field of Literature and Education Shri Laxman Pai, hails from Goa got the award in the field of Painting Shri Arvind Parikh, hails from Maharashtra got the award in the field of Music Ms. Sharda Sinha, hails from Bihar got the award in the field of Music Padma Shri Here is the list of awardees: Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan, a Tamil folk-art exponent and retired professor at the Department of folk arts and culture, Madurai Kamaraj University Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan Silagatti Narasamma, a nonagenarian farm labourer providing midwifery services in backwards regions in Karnataka without medical facilities. She has a talent for checking baby's pulse in the womb, position of the head and baby's health etc. Subhasini Mistry, a lady from rural Bengal who toiled 20 years as a housemaid and daily labourer to build Humanity Hospital for the poor in West Bengal. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Madurai professor who developed and patented an innovative method to reuse plastic waste to construct roads. Yeshi Dhoden, a monk physician who is a foremost expert of Sowa Rigpa (Tibetian Herbal Medicine). Murlikant Patekar, who is India's first Paralympic gold medalist in 1972 Germany Paralympics and won gold in 50 m freestyle swimming, setting a world record at 37.33 seconds. Sudhanshu Biswas, a 99-year-old freedom fighter who dedicated his life in service to the poor. M R Rajagopal, palliative care in pain relief care and medicine to people suffering from life-limiting or terminal illness. Arvind Gupta, who inspired generations of students to learn Science from trash. Bhajju Shyam, an internationally-acclaimed Gond artist - a traditional tribal painting style if Madhya Pradesh. Lakshmikutty, a tribal woman who prepares 500 herbal medicines from her memory and helped thousands of people against snake and insect bites. Shri Abhay Bang, Medicine Maharashtra Ms. Rani Bang, Medicine Maharashtra Shri Damodar Ganesh Bapat, Social Work, Chhattisgarh Shri Prafulla Govinda Baruah, Literature and Education-Journalism, Assam Shri Mohan Swaroop Bhatia, Art-Folk Music, Uttar Pradesh Ms. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, Sports-Weightlifting, Manipur Shri Pandit Shyamlal Chaturvedi, Literature and Education-Journalism, Chhattisgarh Shri Jose Ma Joey, Trade & Industry, Philippines Ms. Langpoklakpam Subadani, Devi Art-Weaving, Manipur Shri Somdev Devvarman, Sports-Tennis, Tripura Shri Yeshi Dhoden, Medicine, Himachal Pradesh Shri Arup Kumar Dutta, Literature and Education, Assam Shri Doddarange Gowda, Art-Lyrics, Karnataka Shri Digamber Hansda, Literature and Education, Jharkhand Shri Ramli Bin Ibrahim, Art-Dance, Malaysia Shri Anwar Jalalpuri, Literature and Education, Uttar Pradesh Shri Piyong Temjen Jamir, Literature and Education, Nagaland Ms. Sitavva Joddati, Social Work, Karnataka Ms. Malti Joshi, Literature and Education, Madhya Pradesh Shri Manoj Joshi, Art-Acting, Maharashtra Shri Rameshwarlal Kabra, Trade & Industry, Maharashtra Shri Pran Kishore Kaul, Art, Jammu and Kashmir Shri Bounlap Keokangna, Others-Architecture, Laos Shri Vijay Kichlu, Art-Music, West Bengal Shri Tommy Koh, Public Affairs, Singapore Ms. Joyshree Goswami Mahanta, Literature and Education, Assam Shri Narayan Das Maharaj, Others-Spiritualism, Rajasthan Shri Pravakara Maharana , Art-Sculpture, Odisha Shri Hun Many, Public Affairs, Cambodia Ms. Nouf Marwaai , Others- Yoga, Saudi Arabia Shri Zaverilal Mehta, Literature and Education-Journalism, Gujarat Shri Krishna Bihari Mishra, Literature and Education, West Bengal Shri Sisir Purushottam Mishra, Art-Cinema, Maharashtra Shri Tomio Mizokami, Literature and Education, Japan Shri Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, Others-Spiritualism, Thailand Shri Keshav Rao Musalgaonkar, Literature and Education, Madhya Pradesh Dr Thant Myint , Public Affairs, Myanmar Ms. V Nanammal, Others-Yoga, Tamil Nadu Shri I Nyoman Nuarta, Art- Sculpture Indonesia Shri Malai Haji Abdullah Bin Malai Haji Othman, Social Work, Brunei Darussalam Shri Gobaradhan Panika, Art-Weaving, Odisha Shri Bhabani Charan Pattanaik, Public Affairs, Odisha Shri Habibullo Rajabov (Foreigner), Literature and Education, Tajikistan Shri Sampat Ramteke (Posthumous), Social Work,Maharashtra Shri Chandra Sekhar Rath, Literature and Education, Odisha Shri S S Rathore, Civil Service, Gujarat Shri Amitava Roy, Science and Engineering, West Bengal Shri Sanduk Ruit (Foreigner), MedicineOphthalmology, Nepal Shri R Sathyanarayana, Art-Music, Karnataka Shri Pankaj M Shah, Medicine-Oncolog,y Gujarat Shri Bhajju Shyam, Art-Painting, Madhya Pradesh Shri Maharao Raghuveer Singh, Literature and Education, Rajasthan Shri Kidambi Srikanth, Sports-Badminton, Andhra Pradesh Shri Ibrahim Sutar, Art-Music, Karnataka Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji,, Others-Spiritualism, Karnataka Ms. Lentina Ao Thakkar, Social Work, Nagaland Shri Vikram Chandra Thaku, Science and Engineering, Uttarakhand Shri Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Tharanathan (Duo), Art-Music, Karnataka Shri Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Thyagarajan (Duo), Art-Music, Karnataka Shri Nguyen Tien Thien, Others-Spiritualism, Vietnam Shri Bhagirath Prasad Tripathi, Literature and Education, Uttar Pradesh Shri Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Science and Engineering, Tamil Nadu Shri Manas Bihari Verma, Science and Engineering, Bihar Shri Panatawane Gangadhar Vithobaji, Literature and Education, Maharashtra Shri Romulus Whitaker, Others-Wildlife Conservation, Tamil Nadu Shri Baba Yogendra, Art, Madhya Pradesh Shri A Zakia, Literature and Education, Mizoram Last year, the number of Padma awardees was 89, which included seven recipients each of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan.

Padma Awards 2018 announced: Full list of recipients

Amid an unprecedented security cover, celebrations for the 69th Republic Day began on the Rajpath in New Delhi on Friday in the presence of the leaders of 10 ASEAN nations who are attending the event as chief guests.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to the martyrs by laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the three service chiefs.

Later, Modi, wearing a saffron, red and green coloured safa, reached the Rajpath and received and greeted President Ram Nath Kovind.

Most of the ministers of the Modi government including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Health Minister J P Nadda, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan were among those present on the occasion. 
BJP president Amit Shah was present too.

The ASEAN leaders, here to attend the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit, are the chief guests at the Republic Day parade which was termed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as &quot;historic and unprecedented&quot;.

The ASEAN, founded in 1967, comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.

The ASEAN leaders attending the parade are Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong Brunei&#39;s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Philippines President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Thailand&#39;s Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar&#39;s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao PDR&#39;s Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

Twenty three tableaux, including those representing various states, ministries, the All India Radio (AIR) among others, will roll down the Rajpath.

The parade commenced amid a heavy security blanket with thousands of security personnel, anti-aircraft guns and sharpshooters deployed in view of the event being attended by ASEAN leaders.

Cold weather conditions and dense fog failed to dampen the spirits of those who came to watch the parade.

The ASEAN leaders, here to attend the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit, are the chief guests at the Republic Day parade which was termed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "historic and unprecedented".

Amid an unprecedented security cover, celebrations for the 69th Republic Day began on the Rajpath in New Delhi on Friday in the presence of the leaders of 10 ASEAN nations who are attending the event as chief guests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to the martyrs by laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the three service chiefs. Later, Modi, wearing a saffron, red and green coloured safa, reached the Rajpath and received and greeted President Ram Nath Kovind. Most of the ministers of the Modi government including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Health Minister J P Nadda, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan were among those present on the occasion. BJP president Amit Shah was present too. The ASEAN leaders, here to attend the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit, are the chief guests at the Republic Day parade which was termed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "historic and unprecedented". The ASEAN, founded in 1967, comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. The ASEAN leaders attending the parade are Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Philippines President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Thailand's Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao PDR's Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith. Twenty three tableaux, including those representing various states, ministries, the All India Radio (AIR) among others, will roll down the Rajpath. The parade commenced amid a heavy security blanket with thousands of security personnel, anti-aircraft guns and sharpshooters deployed in view of the event being attended by ASEAN leaders. Cold weather conditions and dense fog failed to dampen the spirits of those who came to watch the parade.

India celebrates 69th Republic Day with all 10 ASEAN leaders as chief guests

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday called for a &ldquo;civic-minded&rdquo; society where one can disagree with views even which had a historical context without mocking the other person&rsquo;s dignity, comments that come in the backdrop of escalating row and violence over Bollywood film Padmaavat.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/full-text-of-speech-by-president-ram-nath-kovind-30783" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Full text of speech by President Ram Nath Kovind</a>

In his first Republic Day-eve address to the nation, the President also said that institutions should be &ldquo;disciplined and morally upright&rdquo;, adding they are always &ldquo;more important&rdquo; than the individuals in office. The institutions should also respect their &ldquo;fraternal relationship&rdquo; with other institutions, he added.

Touching on other issues, Kovind said it is our &ldquo;sacred obligation&rdquo; to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. &ldquo;This is non-negotiable for the Republic.&rdquo;

&ldquo;A civic-minded nation is built by civic-minded neighbourhoods, whether in our cities or our villages. Where we respect the next-door person&rsquo;s space, privacy and rights. Where we do not inconvenience our neighbours -- while celebrating a festival or while resorting to a protest or on any other occasion.

&ldquo;Where one can disagree with another viewpoint -- or even with a historical context -- without mocking a fellow citizen&rsquo;s dignity and personal space. This is fraternity in action,&rdquo; the President said.

The comments come at a time when several parts of the country have witnessed stiff opposition over Padmaavat with some fringe groups alleging that the film distorts their history and defames Rajput queen Padmaavati. The film hit the screens on Thursday amid tight security.

&ldquo;A disciplined and morally upright nation is built by disciplined and morally upright institutions. Institutions that respect their fraternal relationship with other institutions. Institutions that maintain the integrity, discipline and limits of their functioning, without compromising on excellence.

&ldquo;Institutions that are always more important than the individuals located there. And institutions where the holders and members make every attempt to live up to the office they occupy as trustees of the people,&rdquo; Kovind said.

In his speech, the President highlighted the struggle of millions of people led by Mahatma Gandhi in getting independence of the country which was followed by efforts by them in writing the Constitution for the country.

&ldquo;This was a period of constant striving -- of dedication, determination and commitment to improving our country. And setting right the aberrations of our society,&rdquo; he said and drew a parallel with today&rsquo;s time saying, &ldquo;today, we are at a similar juncture. We have achieved a lot as a nation, but much remains to be done. We need to work on this in the spirit of the generation that gave us our Republic.&rdquo;

He said the country cannot be satisfied without meeting the basic needs and essential dignity of our less well-off people.

&ldquo;I refer to those from a less privileged socio-economic background, from the weaker communities and from families that still live at the edge of poverty. It is our sacred obligation to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. This is non-negotiable for the Republic,&rdquo; he emphasised.

Observing that the &ldquo;promise of a developed India beckons us&rdquo;, Kovind said this is the new stage of our nation building project on which we have embarked. &ldquo;This is the Republic that our young people need to take forward and enhance -- in keeping with their vision, their ambition and their ideals. And their vision, ambition and ideals.&rdquo;

Calling for reforms, upgradation and enlarging the education system, the President said over 60 per cent of the country&rsquo;s population are below the age of 35. &ldquo;It is in them that our hopes lie. We have made strides in spreading literacy; now we must expand the frontiers of education and of knowledge. Our aspiration must be to reform, upgrade and enlarge our education system -- and to make it relevant to 21st 
century realities of the digital economy, genomics, robotics and automation...&rdquo;

Asking children to make innovation as their &ldquo;obsessive goal&rdquo;, he said the schooling system has to encourage children to think and to tinker, not just to memorise and reproduce.

&ldquo;We have made strides in tackling hunger, but the challenge of malnutrition and of bringing the right micronutrients to the plate of every child is still there. This is important for both physical and cognitive development of our children -- and for the future of our country. We simply have to invest in our human capital,&rdquo; he said.

Calling for renewal of spirit of philanthropy, he asked people to collate their privileges and entitlements and then look at less-privileged members of a similar background, those who are starting off from where they once started.

He said the highest stage of India&rsquo;s nation building project is to contribute to building a better, composite and cohesive world at peace with itself and at peace with nature 
which is the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam &ndash; of the World being One Family.

&ldquo;It is an ideal that may sound impractical in today&rsquo;s times of tensions and of terrorism. But it is an ideal that has inspired India for thousands of years &ndash; and that ideal can be felt in the very texture of our constitutional values.&rdquo;

He said in 2020, the nation will complete 70 years of being Republic and in 2022, India will have completed 75 years of independence. &ldquo;These are special occasions and we must strive, in the manner of the leaders of our national movement and the framers of our Constitution, to build the edifice of a better India &ndash; an India where each and every citizen will be able to realise his or her full potential. An India that will reach its deserved pedestal in the 21st century.&rdquo;&nbsp;

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday called for a “civic-minded” society where one can disagree with views even which had a historical context without mocking the other person’s dignity, comments that come in the backdrop of escalating row and violence over Bollywood film Padmaavat. Also read: Full text of speech by President Ram Nath Kovind In his first Republic Day-eve address to the nation, the President also said that institutions should be “disciplined and morally upright”, adding they are always “more important” than the individuals in office. The institutions should also respect their “fraternal relationship” with other institutions, he added. Touching on other issues, Kovind said it is our “sacred obligation” to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. “This is non-negotiable for the Republic.” “A civic-minded nation is built by civic-minded neighbourhoods, whether in our cities or our villages. Where we respect the next-door person’s space, privacy and rights. Where we do not inconvenience our neighbours -- while celebrating a festival or while resorting to a protest or on any other occasion. “Where one can disagree with another viewpoint -- or even with a historical context -- without mocking a fellow citizen’s dignity and personal space. This is fraternity in action,” the President said. The comments come at a time when several parts of the country have witnessed stiff opposition over Padmaavat with some fringe groups alleging that the film distorts their history and defames Rajput queen Padmaavati. The film hit the screens on Thursday amid tight security. “A disciplined and morally upright nation is built by disciplined and morally upright institutions. Institutions that respect their fraternal relationship with other institutions. Institutions that maintain the integrity, discipline and limits of their functioning, without compromising on excellence. “Institutions that are always more important than the individuals located there. And institutions where the holders and members make every attempt to live up to the office they occupy as trustees of the people,” Kovind said. In his speech, the President highlighted the struggle of millions of people led by Mahatma Gandhi in getting independence of the country which was followed by efforts by them in writing the Constitution for the country. “This was a period of constant striving -- of dedication, determination and commitment to improving our country. And setting right the aberrations of our society,” he said and drew a parallel with today’s time saying, “today, we are at a similar juncture. We have achieved a lot as a nation, but much remains to be done. We need to work on this in the spirit of the generation that gave us our Republic.” He said the country cannot be satisfied without meeting the basic needs and essential dignity of our less well-off people. “I refer to those from a less privileged socio-economic background, from the weaker communities and from families that still live at the edge of poverty. It is our sacred obligation to eliminate the curse of poverty in the shortest possible time. This is non-negotiable for the Republic,” he emphasised. Observing that the “promise of a developed India beckons us”, Kovind said this is the new stage of our nation building project on which we have embarked. “This is the Republic that our young people need to take forward and enhance -- in keeping with their vision, their ambition and their ideals. And their vision, ambition and ideals.” Calling for reforms, upgradation and enlarging the education system, the President said over 60 per cent of the country’s population are below the age of 35. “It is in them that our hopes lie. We have made strides in spreading literacy; now we must expand the frontiers of education and of knowledge. Our aspiration must be to reform, upgrade and enlarge our education system -- and to make it relevant to 21st century realities of the digital economy, genomics, robotics and automation...” Asking children to make innovation as their “obsessive goal”, he said the schooling system has to encourage children to think and to tinker, not just to memorise and reproduce. “We have made strides in tackling hunger, but the challenge of malnutrition and of bringing the right micronutrients to the plate of every child is still there. This is important for both physical and cognitive development of our children -- and for the future of our country. We simply have to invest in our human capital,” he said. Calling for renewal of spirit of philanthropy, he asked people to collate their privileges and entitlements and then look at less-privileged members of a similar background, those who are starting off from where they once started. He said the highest stage of India’s nation building project is to contribute to building a better, composite and cohesive world at peace with itself and at peace with nature which is the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – of the World being One Family. “It is an ideal that may sound impractical in today’s times of tensions and of terrorism. But it is an ideal that has inspired India for thousands of years – and that ideal can be felt in the very texture of our constitutional values.” He said in 2020, the nation will complete 70 years of being Republic and in 2022, India will have completed 75 years of independence. “These are special occasions and we must strive, in the manner of the leaders of our national movement and the framers of our Constitution, to build the edifice of a better India – an India where each and every citizen will be able to realise his or her full potential. An India that will reach its deserved pedestal in the 21st century.”

Disagree but don't mock another's dignity, says President Ram Nath Kovind in Republic Day eve speech

The visit of all ten ASEAN leaders to New Delhi on 25-26 January, as guests of honour at India&rsquo;s Republic Day celebrations, marks a high for Indian diplomacy and for India-ASEAN partnership. In the past, we have invited at the most two Heads of State government as guests of honour: Alexei Kosygin &amp; Josip Tito in 1968 and Sirimavo Bandaranaike as well as Josip Tito in 1974.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India and ASEAN nations, some of which are our immediate neighbours, have enjoyed robust trade, maritime, cultural and people-to-people exchanges over two millennia. The ties have been successfully and befittingly recrafted in modern times, especially since the unveiling of our &lsquo;Look East Policy&rsquo; in 1991 (since re-christened as ACT East Policy). &nbsp;

&nbsp;

It may, therefore, sound incredulous that India, riding high on Non-Aligned Movement, had declined ASEAN&rsquo;s membership-invitation in the late sixties, believing that the latter was an American inspired anti-Communist grouping. Prof. Sumit Ganguly in his book &lsquo;India Since 1980&rsquo; observes, &quot;&hellip;Indian leadership had spurned the overtures of the founders of ASEAN when it was formed. &hellip;they felt that is was composed exclusively of states that had close ties with the US, was simply another anti-Communist and anti-Soviet bastion in Asia, and that India could ill-afford to become a member of any such organization&rsquo;. How the sands of time shift!

&nbsp;

Both sides, over the last twenty-five years, have invested considerably in building closer relations, which were elevated to the level of strategic partnership in 2012. The ties essentially rest on three pillars (or 3 Cs) &ndash; Commerce, Connectivity and Culture.&nbsp;

India and ASEAN nations together encompass a population of 1.8 billion and a GDP of US$ 4.5 trillion. The potential, thus, is enormous. The sides operationalised a &lsquo;Free Trade Area in Goods&rsquo; in January 2010 and concluded a &#39;Free Trade Area in Services and Investment&rsquo; in September 2014.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The fact, however, remains that the &#39;Free Trade Area in Goods&#39; is not ambitious enough. It covers merely 90% of product lines and has just about managed to pluck the low-hanging fruit. The FTA in Services and Investment has yet to be operationalised, as Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia have still to ratify it. As a result, bilateral trade is stagnating around $70 billion after attaining a high of $ 80 billion in 2011-12. The best way forward, therefore, is to qualitatively review and upgrade the FTA in Goods.

&nbsp;

A Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement is also under discussion among ASEAN plus six of its partner nations which include India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. While we are participating in the negotiations, we do have serious difficulties, first and foremost about opening our doors further to Chinese imports. As it is, we have an over $50 billion trade deficit with China. RCEP could result in an avalanche of Chinese goods in the Indian market, adversely impacting the Indian manufacturing industry, especially in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) sector.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Connectivity lies at the heart of any relationship and it is particularly important for India&rsquo;s north-eastern region, which has a land border with Myanmar. India has initiated a number of surface and air connectivity projects with ASEAN. In 2002, we proposed the India &ndash; Myanmar - Thailand trilateral highway project. It has made progress in fits and starts, missed several deadlines but has yet to be completed. The fate of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, announced by India in 2008, has been quite similar. It is in India&rsquo;s interest to resist the temptation of unveiling new initiatives and concentrate instead on the expeditious conclusion of projects in the pipeline.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India and ASEAN are doing much better on the cultural front and on enhancing people-to-people, especially youth exchanges.&nbsp;

A final word about the China factor. There is a mistaken notion in some quarters that ASEAN views India as a counterweight or alternative to China. This perception is completely far-fetched.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

True, both ASEAN nations and India are concerned about Chinese muscle-flexing. True, we both stand for freedom of navigation on the high seas and are averse to threat or use of force in dispute settlement. And, therefore, both sides are increasingly consulting each other, building on synergies and staking out common positions where feasible. That said, India herself seeks a cordial and cooperative relationship with China, with which she shares a 4000 km long difficult border. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

India and ASEAN are natural partners. We have similar aspirations and challenges. A closer relationship is of mutual interest. Both sides need to stay the course and reinvigorate efforts to narrow the gulf between ambition and action.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

India and ASEAN are natural partners. We have similar aspirations and challenges. A closer relationship is of mutual interest.

The visit of all ten ASEAN leaders to New Delhi on 25-26 January, as guests of honour at India’s Republic Day celebrations, marks a high for Indian diplomacy and for India-ASEAN partnership. In the past, we have invited at the most two Heads of State government as guests of honour: Alexei Kosygin & Josip Tito in 1968 and Sirimavo Bandaranaike as well as Josip Tito in 1974. India and ASEAN nations, some of which are our immediate neighbours, have enjoyed robust trade, maritime, cultural and people-to-people exchanges over two millennia. The ties have been successfully and befittingly recrafted in modern times, especially since the unveiling of our ‘Look East Policy’ in 1991 (since re-christened as ACT East Policy). It may, therefore, sound incredulous that India, riding high on Non-Aligned Movement, had declined ASEAN’s membership-invitation in the late sixties, believing that the latter was an American inspired anti-Communist grouping. Prof. Sumit Ganguly in his book ‘India Since 1980’ observes, "…Indian leadership had spurned the overtures of the founders of ASEAN when it was formed. …they felt that is was composed exclusively of states that had close ties with the US, was simply another anti-Communist and anti-Soviet bastion in Asia, and that India could ill-afford to become a member of any such organization’. How the sands of time shift! Both sides, over the last twenty-five years, have invested considerably in building closer relations, which were elevated to the level of strategic partnership in 2012. The ties essentially rest on three pillars (or 3 Cs) – Commerce, Connectivity and Culture. India and ASEAN nations together encompass a population of 1.8 billion and a GDP of US$ 4.5 trillion. The potential, thus, is enormous. The sides operationalised a ‘Free Trade Area in Goods’ in January 2010 and concluded a 'Free Trade Area in Services and Investment’ in September 2014. The fact, however, remains that the 'Free Trade Area in Goods' is not ambitious enough. It covers merely 90% of product lines and has just about managed to pluck the low-hanging fruit. The FTA in Services and Investment has yet to be operationalised, as Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia have still to ratify it. As a result, bilateral trade is stagnating around $70 billion after attaining a high of $ 80 billion in 2011-12. The best way forward, therefore, is to qualitatively review and upgrade the FTA in Goods. A Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement is also under discussion among ASEAN plus six of its partner nations which include India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. While we are participating in the negotiations, we do have serious difficulties, first and foremost about opening our doors further to Chinese imports. As it is, we have an over $50 billion trade deficit with China. RCEP could result in an avalanche of Chinese goods in the Indian market, adversely impacting the Indian manufacturing industry, especially in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) sector. Connectivity lies at the heart of any relationship and it is particularly important for India’s north-eastern region, which has a land border with Myanmar. India has initiated a number of surface and air connectivity projects with ASEAN. In 2002, we proposed the India – Myanmar - Thailand trilateral highway project. It has made progress in fits and starts, missed several deadlines but has yet to be completed. The fate of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, announced by India in 2008, has been quite similar. It is in India’s interest to resist the temptation of unveiling new initiatives and concentrate instead on the expeditious conclusion of projects in the pipeline. India and ASEAN are doing much better on the cultural front and on enhancing people-to-people, especially youth exchanges. A final word about the China factor. There is a mistaken notion in some quarters that ASEAN views India as a counterweight or alternative to China. This perception is completely far-fetched. True, both ASEAN nations and India are concerned about Chinese muscle-flexing. True, we both stand for freedom of navigation on the high seas and are averse to threat or use of force in dispute settlement. And, therefore, both sides are increasingly consulting each other, building on synergies and staking out common positions where feasible. That said, India herself seeks a cordial and cooperative relationship with China, with which she shares a 4000 km long difficult border. India and ASEAN are natural partners. We have similar aspirations and challenges. A closer relationship is of mutual interest. Both sides need to stay the course and reinvigorate efforts to narrow the gulf between ambition and action. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: 25 years of India-ASEAN partnership calls for a reality check

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is the group of 10 countries lying in the far east of India. It will be a great show when Prime Minister Modi is going to host the heads of these countries on the Republic Day of India. Never ever in the history, the heads of 10 countries have been the state guest in any single event.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar are the countries which form the core of South Asia and, directly or indirectly, control almost 50% trade of the world due to their strategic location. These are the countries which can effectively be helpful against China&rsquo;s expanding influence in the world and help India grow.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Out of these 10 countries, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are three major economies which control the busiest shipping channel and the lifeline of Chinese economy called as Strait of Malacca. Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Philippines are located so strategically that they can control the movements in the South China Sea. This is the reason why Mr Xi Xinping is having sleepless nights by the presence of the 10 leaders in the Republic Day of India.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India is trying to influence these countries by extending a helping hand to them as part of India&rsquo;s look east policy and the government is initiating many projects with these countries. ASEAN countries have been, culturally and geographically, closer to India and will be helpful for us in long run.

&nbsp;

Chinese concerns are genuine because when it comes to discussing their economy, the most important factor is the security of the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Because of the vulnerability of tiny Strait of Malacca, China is probably initiating projects, such as the CPEC and OBOR. This is the shortest and probably the safest shipping route connecting the east and the west. Forbes has declared it as the most important choke point in case of a political or military conflict arising in the south-east Asian region.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The busiest shipping route of the world, Strait of Malacca is the lifeline of some of the major economies of the world, including ASEAN countries, Japan, Taiwan, both South and North Korea and of course China. More than 115,000 cargo vessels pass through this narrow passage every year, making it roughly 315 ships every day on an average which is 4 -5 times of its nearest competitor, Suez Canal. That is indeed remarkable.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

When it comes to the volumes of trade and we take on account China only, 80% of the oil imports of the dragon passes through this small water body. The channel ships nearly 18 million barrels per day out of which nearly one-third is for China. Not only this, almost 60% of the Chinese exports which corresponds to nearly a trillion USD pass through this. Any possible threat to this channel gives goosebumps to the Chinese leadership.

&nbsp;

An old proverb says that the wars are not won by military might but by a strategic perspective and thorough preparation. Very few people know that the shipping channel leading to Strait of Malacca is just 80km from Indian land and India can effectively monitor and even block this channel in case of a military conflict.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As part of the Indian Navy Modernisation Plan, India is further developing INS Baaz, an important naval base in the Campbell Bay Island, which is closest to the Strait of Malacca. It is being made suitable for operating Boeing Poseidon P8i aircrafts from this location. The number of strategic bases under Joint Tri-services Command is also not far off. The Indian abilities to control this strait are increasing day by day.

&nbsp;

China understands this concern well and is spending its money on multiple projects like oil pipelines from Central Asian Countries, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its One Belt One Road initiative (OBOR) to reach Central Asian and European markets without using South Asian shipping channels. It also requested Thailand to work out a shipping channel through Isthmus of Kra which dragon is going to fund. It is also trying to influence Myanmar to establish a port in the country.

&nbsp;

Whatever China does, it will be a futile effort unless it keeps India in good faith. The current stand of China with respect to Pakistan is going to be harmful in the long run and the country will realise that it is not good to have a strong neighbour as the enemy. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Out of the 10 countries present in the ASEAN, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are three major economies which control the Strait of Malacca, the busiest shipping channel and the lifeline of the Chinese economy.

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is the group of 10 countries lying in the far east of India. It will be a great show when Prime Minister Modi is going to host the heads of these countries on the Republic Day of India. Never ever in the history, the heads of 10 countries have been the state guest in any single event. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar are the countries which form the core of South Asia and, directly or indirectly, control almost 50% trade of the world due to their strategic location. These are the countries which can effectively be helpful against China’s expanding influence in the world and help India grow. Out of these 10 countries, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are three major economies which control the busiest shipping channel and the lifeline of Chinese economy called as Strait of Malacca. Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Philippines are located so strategically that they can control the movements in the South China Sea. This is the reason why Mr Xi Xinping is having sleepless nights by the presence of the 10 leaders in the Republic Day of India. India is trying to influence these countries by extending a helping hand to them as part of India’s look east policy and the government is initiating many projects with these countries. ASEAN countries have been, culturally and geographically, closer to India and will be helpful for us in long run. Chinese concerns are genuine because when it comes to discussing their economy, the most important factor is the security of the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Because of the vulnerability of tiny Strait of Malacca, China is probably initiating projects, such as the CPEC and OBOR. This is the shortest and probably the safest shipping route connecting the east and the west. Forbes has declared it as the most important choke point in case of a political or military conflict arising in the south-east Asian region. The busiest shipping route of the world, Strait of Malacca is the lifeline of some of the major economies of the world, including ASEAN countries, Japan, Taiwan, both South and North Korea and of course China. More than 115,000 cargo vessels pass through this narrow passage every year, making it roughly 315 ships every day on an average which is 4 -5 times of its nearest competitor, Suez Canal. That is indeed remarkable. When it comes to the volumes of trade and we take on account China only, 80% of the oil imports of the dragon passes through this small water body. The channel ships nearly 18 million barrels per day out of which nearly one-third is for China. Not only this, almost 60% of the Chinese exports which corresponds to nearly a trillion USD pass through this. Any possible threat to this channel gives goosebumps to the Chinese leadership. An old proverb says that the wars are not won by military might but by a strategic perspective and thorough preparation. Very few people know that the shipping channel leading to Strait of Malacca is just 80km from Indian land and India can effectively monitor and even block this channel in case of a military conflict. As part of the Indian Navy Modernisation Plan, India is further developing INS Baaz, an important naval base in the Campbell Bay Island, which is closest to the Strait of Malacca. It is being made suitable for operating Boeing Poseidon P8i aircrafts from this location. The number of strategic bases under Joint Tri-services Command is also not far off. The Indian abilities to control this strait are increasing day by day. China understands this concern well and is spending its money on multiple projects like oil pipelines from Central Asian Countries, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its One Belt One Road initiative (OBOR) to reach Central Asian and European markets without using South Asian shipping channels. It also requested Thailand to work out a shipping channel through Isthmus of Kra which dragon is going to fund. It is also trying to influence Myanmar to establish a port in the country. Whatever China does, it will be a futile effort unless it keeps India in good faith. The current stand of China with respect to Pakistan is going to be harmful in the long run and the country will realise that it is not good to have a strong neighbour as the enemy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why China is having sleepless nights over ASEAN in India

BJP MLA from Kasganj has written to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kasganj-violence-cm-adityanath-grants-rs-20-lakh-compensation-to-kin-of-bereaved-31017" target="_blank">UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath</a> demanding status of a martyr for Chandan Gupta who was killed during the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kasganj-clash-49-people-arrested-section-144-to-continue-30912" target="_blank">Kasganj clashes on January 26</a>.

Chandan Gupta died after being hit by a bullet in a clash that broke out during an unauthorised Tiranga Bike rally by activists from ABVP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The rally was organised to mark the Republic Day celebrations.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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BJP MLA from Kasganj Devender Singh wrote to UP CM Yogi Adityanath demanding status of martyr for Chandan Abhishek who was killed during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KasganjClashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KasganjClashes</a>, also demands job for family members.
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/958180125996081152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The BJP MLA has also demanded jobs for family members of the deceased.&nbsp;

According to reports, the rally was organised without any prior permission from administration and clash occurred when another group objected to the slogan that was raised by the participants of the motorcycle rally.

While a probe to investigate the cause of the scuffle is underway, a shop was&nbsp;burnt in Kasganj on Monday.&nbsp;

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A shop has been burnt down in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kasganj?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kasganj</a>&#39;s Malgodam road, police investigating <a href="https://t.co/PXFHWK3V2z">pic.twitter.com/PXFHWK3V2z</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/958027044792680449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Probe is underway, we have no concrete information right now as to what happened, wait for investigation report. It was not a communal riot, you can say it was a communal scuffle: RP Singh, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kasganj?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kasganj</a> DM <a href="https://t.co/grPNUJlHeV">pic.twitter.com/grPNUJlHeV</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/958026534509363200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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What exactly happened during the Tiranga Yatra, whether they willingly stopped or were stopped is not yet known, investigation is on. I again appeal to people to not believe rumour mongers: Sanjeev Gupta, IG Aligarh Range <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KasganjClashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KasganjClashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/6bp2INMkoA">pic.twitter.com/6bp2INMkoA</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/957995066320044032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Chandan Gupta died after being hit by a bullet in a clash that broke out during an unauthorised Tiranga Bike rally by activists from ABVP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The rally was organised to mark the Republic Day celebrations

BJP MLA from Kasganj has written to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath demanding status of a martyr for Chandan Gupta who was killed during the Kasganj clashes on January 26. Chandan Gupta died after being hit by a bullet in a clash that broke out during an unauthorised Tiranga Bike rally by activists from ABVP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The rally was organised to mark the Republic Day celebrations. BJP MLA from Kasganj Devender Singh wrote to UP CM Yogi Adityanath demanding status of martyr for Chandan Abhishek who was killed during #KasganjClashes, also demands job for family members. — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 30, 2018 × The BJP MLA has also demanded jobs for family members of the deceased. According to reports, the rally was organised without any prior permission from administration and clash occurred when another group objected to the slogan that was raised by the participants of the motorcycle rally. While a probe to investigate the cause of the scuffle is underway, a shop was burnt in Kasganj on Monday. A shop has been burnt down in #Kasganj's Malgodam road, police investigating pic.twitter.com/PXFHWK3V2z — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2018 × Probe is underway, we have no concrete information right now as to what happened, wait for investigation report. It was not a communal riot, you can say it was a communal scuffle: RP Singh, #Kasganj DM pic.twitter.com/grPNUJlHeV — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2018 × What exactly happened during the Tiranga Yatra, whether they willingly stopped or were stopped is not yet known, investigation is on. I again appeal to people to not believe rumour mongers: Sanjeev Gupta, IG Aligarh Range #KasganjClashes pic.twitter.com/6bp2INMkoA — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2018 ×

Kasganj violence: BJP MLA demands status of martyr for Chandan

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