On Independent Day, A Message Of Unity In Srinagar From Rajasthan, Gujarat
In a display of patriotism and a message of national integration, two men--one from Rajasthan and the other from Gujarat--hoisted the national flag at the historic Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar's Lal Chowk on Friday, celebrating India's 79th Independence Day.
Rajasthan native Balbeer Singh said that this was the 10th time he had hoisted the Tiranga at the Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk.
#WATCH | J&K: Two men from Gujarat and Rajasthan were seen at Ghanta Ghar, Lal Chowk, Srinagar, hosting the national flag; one had his body painted in the Tricolour, celebrating the 79th Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/jpotRTZMdC
— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2025
"Since 2015, I have been initiating Tiranga Yatra to Lal Chowk. This is the 10th time I have hoisted the Tiranga here. Even though the government started the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign recently, we have been doing this for years. As of now, we have distributed more than 20 lakhs tirangas, and our campaign is still ongoing," said Mr Singh.
Gurajat native Arun said, "Every year, I come here to deliver a message of peace and brotherhood. I hope peace and brotherhood will be here because Pakistani terrorists do not want harmony and unity here."
Meanwhile, in his Independence Day address to the nation earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the abrogation of Article 370.
"When we brought the mantra of 'one country, one constitution' to life by demolishing the wall of Article 370, when we accepted 'one nation, one constitution' as the mantra, then we revered Shyama Prasad Mookherjee. There are members of Panchayats from far-flung villages, representatives of Drone Didi, representatives of Lakhpati Didi, people from the world of sports, great people who have given something or the other to the nation and life are present here. In a way, I am seeing a miniature India here in front of my eyes. And today, the Red Fort is also connected with India through technology," PM Modi said.
PM Modi also mentioned that the 125th Jayanti of Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, a former Union Minister and founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Today we are celebrating the 125th Jayanti of Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee. Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee is the first person to give his life for India's Constitution," he said.
Praising how every Indian is carrying the tricolour with them today, PM Modi said, "Over 140 crore Indians are carrying the colours of the tricolour. Har Ghar Tirangana in every corner of the country, whether it is deserts, Himalayan peaks, the edges of the sea, or densely populated cities. Everywhere, there is one song, one slogan: praises of our motherland can be heard," he added.
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"Having received incredible love and support from everyone during and after the mission, I can't wait to come back to India to share my experiences with all of you," he added. Looking back at his colleagues, Shukla noted that although "goodbyes are hard", "we need to keep moving in life". He also shared valuable advice from his commander, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson: "The only constant in spaceflight is change." Stating that he "believes that it applies to life as well," Shukla shared a song from the Bollywood movie Swades, "at the end of the day Yun hi chala chal rahi - jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya (loosely translated as just keep walking, traveller - life is a carriage, time is the wheel)". Meanwhile, his family also expressed excitement over meeting him after his successful space mission. "I am very excited. My son has successfully completed his mission and has come back. We are very excited that my son is coming back. We are trying to meet him as soon as possible. He is coming the day after tomorrow, and we will meet him in Delhi," Shukla's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, told IANS. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the IAF Group Captain will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi before traveling to his hometown of Lucknow to see his family. (With Inputs from IANS)
