STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Following guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India, Assam is going to celebrate the 77th Independence Day of India in a different way. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today spelled out how the State Government will celebrate Independence Day with the incorporation of the State Government’s own ideas.
Addressing the media today, the Chief Minister said, “The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav that began last year will conclude on August 15 this year with the campaign of ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’. After August 15, India will step into the Amrit Kaal. On August 8, as part of the Independence Day programme, every gaon pachayat in the state will erect a ‘silaphalakam’ with inscriptions of the names of freedom fighters, jawans, police personnel, and sepoys dying on the line of duty. The inscription will also have a message from the Prime Minister. If any Gaon Panchayat does not have any such personalities, the ‘silaphalakam’ will have the inscription of a general message, besides the message from the Prime Minister. The ‘silaphalakams’ will be near Amrit Sarovars or at any picturesque sites in gaon panchayat areas. From August 9 to 15, the local people will gather near ‘silaphalakams’ and take the Panch Pran Pledge’, take selfies, and upload them to the portal of the Government of India. From August 9 to 14, there will be ‘Vasudha Vandan’ through the plantation of 75 saplings in every gaon panchayat and municipal area. On August 13, the Assam Police will march past the Dighalipukhuri in Guwahati. On August 14, the State Government will observe the Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas, or Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. On August 15, we appeal to all people to observe the Har Ghar Tiranga like last year.”
On the proposed park (vatika) at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, the Chief Minister said, “On August 23, all habitations in each gaon panchayat and municipal area in Assam will take out a ‘maati yatra’ to the GP and municipal offices and keep the lumps of soil in two pitchers to be kept there. On August 24, all these pitchers filled with lumps of soil will be taken to the respective block offices and taken to Guwahati on August 25. After the Bhoomipujan of the soil at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on August 26, we will send one of the two pitchers from each GP and municipal area to New Delhi through NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, or the participants of the Megha Bihu recital for the Guinness Book of World Records. The pitchers will be in New Delhi from August 27 to 30, and the final ‘Maati Yatra will be in the presence of VVIPs at Kartavya Path. The proposed park (vatika) at Kartavya Path, as the Prime Minister wishes, will have soil from all over India so as to make everyone claim that the park has his or her local soil.”
He said, “The state will be left with one pitcher each from each GP and municipal area after sending one each to New Delhi. We will take these pitchers to Gohpur, where we are planning to construct a university named after Swahid Kanaklata Baruah. The university campus will have the soils of all villages in Assam. The State Government will establish this university with a capacity of 10,000 students as a centre of excellence.”
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