West Bengal celebrates R-Day amid high security
January 26th, 2009 - 3:34 pm ICT by IANSKolkata, Jan 26 (IANS) West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi unfurled the tricolour and took the salute as the state joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the 60th Republic Day Monday.Military parades, march pasts, cultural functions and blood donation camps marked the day amid heightened security.
The Republic Day parade was held on the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (Red Road) in the centre of the city with the Armed Forces showcasing an impressive array of weapons including T-72 tanks, 155 mm Bofors field guns, L-70 air defence guns, anti-tank guided missiles, mine-protected vehicle Casspir and a bridging float.
The navy displayed a miniature version of INS Brahmaputra and the air force put up a pilotless aircraft Lakshya and Rocket pods of the Mig-21 aircraft during the hour-long parade in presence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, state ministers, bureaucrats, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries.
The day was also celebrated at central and state government offices, including Kolkata Port Trust, South-eastern Railway and Eastern Railway, and educational institutions.
Patriotic songs, dances and poetry recitation programmes were organised in localities across towns. Blood donation camps and sit-and-draw competitions were also held at several places.
- Bengal governor unfurls tricolour at colourful parade - Jan 26, 2011
- M.K. Narayanan unfurls tri-colour as Bengal celebrates R-Day - Jan 26, 2010
- West Bengal celebrates Republic Day - Jan 26, 2012
- West Bengal celebrates Republic Day (Lead) - Jan 27, 2012
- Heavily fortified Delhi gears up for Republic Day - Jan 25, 2011
- Governor laments rising militancy in Meghalaya - Jan 26, 2012
- Delhi put on high alert ahead of Republic Day - Jan 21, 2012
- Misty sunshine as Agra marks Republic Day - Jan 26, 2012
- Strike hits Republic Day in Meghalaya - Jan 26, 2011
- Security to be tightened across Delhi for Republic Day - Jan 21, 2010
- Republic Day: Security beefed up, traffic diversions announced - Jan 21, 2011
- India celebrates 62nd R'Day, military might on show (Roundup) - Jan 26, 2011
- India successfully tests pilotless aircraft - Jan 31, 2012
- Nation gets set to celebrate 61st Republic Day - Jan 25, 2011
- Northeast defies militant boycott calls on R-Day - Jan 26, 2012
Tags: brahmaputra, casspir, diplomatic corps, field guns, gopal krishna, guided missiles, impressive array, indira gandhi, lakshya, mig 21 aircraft, military parades, pilotless aircraft, poetry recitation, port trust, republic day, rocket pods, south eastern railway, state government offices, state ministers, west bengal
