Raipur, Aug 14 (PTI) As many as 92 villages in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, once considered Maoist strongholds, will witness the hoisting of the national flag for the first time since Independence on August 15, officials said on Friday.
Preparations have been completed across the state, including capital Raipur, for Independence Day celebrations on Saturday and security has been stepped up at the venues, a government official said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will hoist the national flag at the Police Parade Ground in Raipur and receive the guard of honour from different units of security personnel, he said.
Assembly Speaker Raman Singh will hoist the flag at the Rajnandgaon district headquarters, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao in Durg, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of Bastar district, and Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu in Bilaspur.
Other ministers and MLAs will participate in Independence Day celebrations at different locations across the state, the official said.
The tricolour had been hoisted during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations in recent years in several remote villages of Bastar region, comprising seven districts, where the national flag had never been unfurled since Independence. The flag-hoisting ceremonies were made possible after security camps were established nearby those settlements, the official said.
This year, following the state’s declaration of being free from the Maoist menace on March 31, 92 more villages including 33 in Bijapur, 50 in Sukma and nine in Narayanpur, will witness the hoisting of the tricolour for the first time, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board has directed all mosques, dargahs and madrasas across the state to hoist the national flag on Independence Day.
State Waqf Board chairman Dr Salim Raj said a letter had been issued to all mutawallis (who manage Waqf properties), asking them to celebrate Independence Day in accordance with guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry.
He said the tricolour would be hoisted at mosques, dargahs, imambaras and khanqahs across the state and the national anthem and national song would also be sung as per the guidelines.
“Those who fail to comply with the directions will face action,” Raj said.
He said those who do not respect the tricolour have no right to stay in the country and can go to Pakistan or wherever else they wish to go.
“If you want to live in India, you will have to follow the law. Those who do not follow the law will face punitive action,” he said. PTI TKP NP
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