Independence Day 2020: PM hoists the Tricolour from Red Fort; history and significance behind celebration of India's freedom

-

On 15 August, 1947, the British Raj came to an end in India, ending 200 years of colonisation.

Commemorating the nation's freedom from the British rule, the country is celebrating its 74th Independence Day on 15 August.

However, celebrations this year are muted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event at Red Fort, unlike other years, saw a reduced list of dignitaries in attendance, police personnel in protective gear and no participation of school children.

This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seventh Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. The ceremony included a guard of honour by the armed forces and Delhi Police to the PM, unfurling of the national flag, firing of the 21-gun salute and the singing of the national anthem, apart from the speech. The event concluded with the release of tri-coloured balloons.

History of Independence Day

The British East India Company first arrived in India in 1619, setting up trading posts in the port of Surat, Gujarat. It slowly established itself at a position of authority with the victory at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and the Battle of Buxar in 1764. Following the triumphs, it started expanding its power to other parts of the country through wars and annexations.

Rebellions against the British started as early as the 1750s and in 1857 came the Indian rebellion which would later develop into a full-fledged battle for freedom.

From the 1920s, Mahatma Gandhi was established firmly as the leader of the Indian Independence movement. The period also saw such leaders like BR Ambedkar championing for the rights of lower castes. When the Quit India movement launched in 1942, Britain which was fighting against Germany, promised to grant India independence after the World War II.

By the end of the war, Britain was unable to resist the overwhelming demand for India’s independence. Subsequently, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, proposed the Radcliffe Line and submitted his plan for both the west and east borders on 9 August, 1947. The end of the British colonial rule for India came into effect at the stroke of midnight on 15 August, 1947.

Significance of Independence Day

The day is a reminder of the sacrifices of the freedom fighters who stood up against the British oppressors to end the colonial rule. The first Prime Minister of Independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted India's tricolour flag at the Red Fort on 15 August, 1947, a practice that continues till date.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2FhwOTp
FP Trending

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Both COVID-19 vaccine doses needed for good protection against B16172 variant

-
It’s been a concerning few weeks in the UK, with the B16172 variant first taking hold and then spreading to become dominant. This more infectious form of the virus, initially identified in India, is what we’re now going to have to live with – unless it is out-competed by another variant in the future. Worryingly, experts had predicted that B16172 might be able to escape some of the effects of vaccines, which if true would threaten to derail the UK’s plans to finish lifting restrictions from the end of June. However, Public Health England (PHE) has looked at the ability of various variants to evade immunity and says that the UK’s vaccines remain effective against the variants circulating, including B16172. On the surface, this looks like good news. But delve a bit deeper, and things get more complicated, says Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia. PHE’s research found a little drop-off in protection against B16172 among people who were fully vaccinated.
Read more

New coronavirus variant emerge in India: How should our COVID response change?

-
Image
After genome sequencing of over 10,000 COVID-19 cases in India, researchers have discovered a new variant with two new mutations which may be better at evading the immune system. In 15-20 percent of samples from the Indian state of Maharashtra (the state accounting for 62 percent of cases in the country) a new, double mutation in key areas of the virus has been detected. These are now known as the E484Q and L452R mutations. What makes the variant different? Both these mutations are concerning because they are located in a key portion of the virus – the spike protein – that it uses to penetrate human cells. Spike proteins attach via a “receptor binding domain”, meaning the virus can attach to receptors in our cells. These new mutations include changes to the spike protein that make it a “better fit” for human cells. This means the virus can gain entry more easily and multiply faster. Given what we have seen with other similar mutations , it might also make it harder for our immu
Read more

120 flights delayed, 30 trains running late; Delhi fog & cold wave continue to give shiver to travellers

-
Arrival and departure of 120 flights, both domestic and international, to Delhi airport were affected due to dense fog and cold wave conditions on Wednesday, according to Delhi Airport FIDS (Flight Information Display System). As per the Delhi Airport FIDS, a total of 53 flights, including 21 domestic arrivals, 16 domestic departures, 13 international departures and three international arrivals scheduled are cancelled and not operating due to fog and other operational reasons from and to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in the national capital on 17 January. #WATCH | Delhi: Several flight operations delayed at IGI airport due to low visibility amid fog. pic.twitter.com/hG1DUKllEt — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2024 Visuals from the Delhi airport showed passengers waiting outside, checking update of their scheduled flights. There were also some people waiting for flight of their families, friends and loved ones to arrive, which got delayed due to fog. #WATCH | Delhi | Pas
Read more