The celebratory speeches in the election year were peppered with political overtones in good measure in all 5 South states.
Governors Arif Mohammad Khan (Kerala), Tamilisai Soundararajan (Telangana), and RN Ravi (Tamil Nadu) hoisting the tricolour as part of the Republic Day celebrations in their respective states. (X)
The South Indian states celebrated the 75th Republic Day with patriotic fervor along with the rest of the country on Friday, 26 January.
The celebratory speeches in the election year were peppered with political overtones in good measures, with even the consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya on 22 January finding mention in an otherwise secular event.
India is set to elect its 18th Lok Sabha in a couple of months, most probably from mid-April.
In Telangana, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan launched a broadside against the former K Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS dispensation, saying the society had, in the recently-held Assembly elections, put an end to the 10-year “dictatorial government” run against the constitutional spirit, and a people’s government has been formed.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi in his Republic Day message said the epochal event of the Pran Pratishtha of Sri Ram Lalla in the Ayodhya Lord Ram temple has enthused the entire nation.
“Sri Ram has a deep connection with Tamil Nadu. His story has inspired and enriched Tamil literature since the Sangam period, constitutes the soul of Carnatic music, and has enriched our classical dance,” Ravi said.
Governor Arif Mohammad Khan of Kerala highlighted dissent and differences of opinion as essential ingredients of democratic functioning. “but they should not degenerate into violence”.
The state had witnessed sporadic instances of violence during the state Cabinet’s Nava Kerala Sadas yatra across all 140 Assembly constituencies. CPI(M)-affiliated students and youth wings had even waved black flags at the Governor for his refusal to give assent to Assembly-passed Bills, and over appointments to governing bodies of state-run universities.
Khan had on Thursday, 25 January, cut short his customary policy address marking the beginning of the Kerala Legislative Assembly’s Budget session, leaving the House after reading only the last paragraph of the 63-page speech.
After unfurling the national flag, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in her caustic remarks against the previous BRS government, said the people’s mandate declared that arrogance and autocracy have no place in Telangana.
She further said the state was in the process of reconstructing ruined constitutional bodies, systems, and values in the last 10 years and the present people’s government is reviving constitutional merits, systems, and practices.
Alleging that the previous government had completely neglected employment and livelihoods for youth, and was indeed indifferent towards the youth, who played a key role during the Telangana movement, she said the government, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, was paying special attention to providing jobs to the youth.
The Constitution gave people enough powers to remove the rulers who run governments against the spirit of the Constitution through struggles and verdicts in elections, she said.
Unilateral decisions and dictatorial approaches conflicted with the principles of democracy. The newly-elected people’s government started functioning with full consciousness and has been striving with the objective of delivering equal opportunities, rendering social justice, and granting freedom to all sections of people, she said.
“Two of the six guarantees have already been implemented. I am happy that more than 11 crore women have already utilised the free TSRTC bus transportation services under the Mahalakshmi Scheme, implemented as part of six guarantees,” she said, adding the remaining four would be implemented in 100 days.
Referring to the recent visit of Revanth Reddy to the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, the Governor said it was a testament to Telangana’s progress that the state succeeded in inking agreements for the highest-ever ₹40,232 crore investments with global and domestic companies.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi unfurled the national flag in Chennai and the 75th Republic Day celebrations were marked by a march past of contingents of the armed forces, the state police, and colourful cultural events that showcased Tamil pride.
Besides the traditional parade, cultural performances of troupes from Odisha, Manipur and Karnataka attracted attention. A key highlight was the cultural events by students; with the revolutionary Tamil poet Bharathidasan’s ‘Tamizhukum Amudhu Endru Per‘ song forming the theme.
The celebrations were held on Kamarajar Salai near the Marina beachfront.
Ravi, in his Republic Day message said the epochal event of the Pran Pratishtha of Sri Ram Lalla in the Ayodhya Lord Ram temple has enthused the entire nation. “Sri Ram has a deep connect with Tamil Nadu. His story has inspired and enriched Tamil literature since the Sangam period, constitutes the soul of Carnatic music and has enriched our classical dance,” Ravi said.
Dissent and differences of opinion are essential ingredients of democratic functioning but they should not degenerate into violence, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said.
Khan, leading the Republic Day celebrations at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, said that society should not allow group rivalries or internal struggles for power to affect governance as it would set a bad example for the future generations.
The Governor further said that education was the chief means by which a society transformed and it was the only effective method to purge the mind of old prejudices.
“The future depends on what we are in our thoughts and actions. For this, we need institutions of higher education which are truly autonomous and free from any outside interference that leads the youth to engage in activities which pollute the academic environment,” he said at the event, also attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Khan also referred to the various accomplishments and laurels achieved by Kerala in various sectors, including startups, health and tourism, and said that it was obligatory for the people of such a highly accomplished state to nurture a healthier democracy that encourages constructive public discourse in a spirit of mutual respect and deeper understanding.
“Dissent and differences of opinion are essential ingredients of democratic functioning. But dissent degenerating into violence, be it physical or verbal, is a betrayal of democracy and symbol of human failure.
He said that the need of the hour was to foster in society a culture of greater civility, empathy, and dialogue that “reposes faith in the power of argument and not in the argument of power.”
After unfurling the national flag and inspecting the parade, the Governor received the salute from the various police and armed forces contingents that marched past the podium.
The Governor and chief minister extended Republic Day greetings to Malayalis across the world.
Khan, in a video message on the eve of the country’s 75th Republic Day, urged everyone to “imbibe the true spirit of Bharatiyata through unity and harmony” to achieve our national goals and uphold democratic traditions.
Vijayan, in his greetings, said that Republic Day was an occasion for every citizen to reaffirm their pledge to keep India as a secular republic in the future.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Abdul Nazeer said the state has made remarkable progress in various sectors, surpassing past achievements with the cooperation of people despite being faced with numerous challenges.
After unfurling the national flag, Nazeer said the state government was aiming to bring joy to every underprivileged individual, cutting across caste, religion, class, region and political affiliations.
“We are committed to delivering welfare schemes effectively and without any discrimination,” he said.
Listing out the state government’s achievements, the Governor said the key feature of the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led dispensation was the “prompt and transparent delivery” of welfare and development schemes, ensuring they reach beneficiaries satisfactorily.
To support farmers, the government established 10,778 “Rythu Bharosa Kendralu” which act as comprehensive hubs for all agricultural needs, right from supply of seeds to crop sale, ensuring that our farmers receive all the necessary support, Nazeer said.
In the field of education, the state government is nurturing global citizens through English medium and digital teaching methods which is part of the “Nadu-Nedu” initiative, in modernisation and provisioning adequate infrastructure in 56,703 institutions with an investment of ₹17,805 crore. This initiative ensures that our students become ‘Globally Competitive,’ he said.
As part of administrative reforms as many as 13 new districts, 26 new revenue divisions, and 16 police divisions were created to bring government services closer to the people,” he added.
In his message, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah noted that the “Constitution is the soul of democracy”.
“A democracy without a constitution is a life without a soul. Let us not forget the principle that if we protect the Constitution, the Constitution will protect us. Let us make the Amrit Mahotsav of the Republic of India meaningful.
Happy Republic Day to Nadabandha,” he said on X.
(With PTI inputs)
Jan 26, 2024
Jan 26, 2024
Jan 26, 2024
