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A heavy security blanket was thrown around the capital with snipers and mobile hit teams fanning across the city and nearly 15,000 police and paramilitary personnel being deployed to guard the 8-km-long route of the Republic Day parade and other key installations. Anti-aircraft guns have also been stationed in certain crucial areas.
The security measures have been planned keeping in view intelligence inputs including Pak-based Lashker-e-Taiba acquiring over 50 para-gliding equipment which could be used to launch an air-borne suicide attacks.
A close vigil has been mounted in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that Republic Day functions in the border state passed off peacefully.
Strict security arrangements have also been made in Naxal-hit regions and in the eight north-eastern states where calls for boycott of tomorrow's functions have been given by some militant groups.
In Delhi, a ground-to-air security apparatus has been put in place for the celebrations and a tight vigil was being maintained between Vijay Chowk and Red Fort through which the parade showcasing the country's diversity and military prowess will pass through.
"192 companies (over 15,000) police and paramilitary personnel are being deployed on the parade route," Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal told reporters here. This is in addition to resources available with New Delhi and Central Delhi police districts.
"Pickets are everywhere and extensive checking is being carried out," Dadwal said.
A senior police official said a multi-layer security ring will be put in place at Rajpath, where President Pratibha Patil will unfurl the tricolour tomorrow and take the salute of marching contingents.
In Mumbai, which witnessed terror attacks in November 2008, and other parts of Maharashtra, a high alert has been sounded to prevent any terror strike.
Elaborate security arrangements have also been made in Naxal-infested areas in view of tomorrow's bandh calls given Maoists in Maharashtra and other states.
"We are taking all precautionary measures to ensure peaceful celebrations on R-Day," N S Jagtap, spokesperson of the police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, which has been hit by the Naxal menace, said.
A senior police officer in Mumbai said all district police chiefs have been asked to be on top alert. They have also been asked to co-ordinate with Coast Guard, Navy and Traffic police and Railway police forces wherever needed.
Security has been tightened at railway stations, airports and major installations in Mumbai, police said.
Mumbai Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order), Himanshu Roy said apart from ground security in the city, aerial vigilance is also being given the right priority.
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For the Nation to be republic it was common public who participated maximum in the independence movement.Today that has gone negligible and it has become a show of some people who unlike Mahatma Gandi,Sardar Patel,LalBahadur Shastri and Dr.Kalam do not deserve to be called Leaders.Real REPUBLIC DAY will come when all Indians are looked after for ROTI,KAPDA,MAKAN irrespective of caste,colour,creed and faith,No appeasement of any particular community just for the sake of party interest,People in power are real public leaders in a way that they move in public without security which they enjoy at the cost of poor public's money. Martyrdom of defense people get priority over vote-bank. Then the GREAT NATION will enjoy Republic day in reality.Today let us pray God for such day to come at the earliest.Otherwise it is hypocrisy and sycophancy.People in chair in a way cheating their own heart
This celebrations amid tight security wastes an ample amount of public money.India is showing the army might to whom? and for what? The whole world knows that we are not following any law in the land i.e no politician is punished before the law,politicians having accounts in swiss bank,rathore roaming free,modi roaming free,army chief involved in land scam roaming free,judge with property above his earnings roaming free,cricketers becoming rich and topping the indias richest people list, and what not.China grabbing indian soil,Pakistan terrorizing india.We are defeated and lost in all the fronts.So no need to show the army power acheiving nothing.Out of this 60 years what great we acheived.We were put under great tension by the terrorists and we are having celebrations in tight security.A handfull of people in a movement in pakistan acheived their goal of putting india under tension but we with so much army power acheived nothing other than poverty in the country.shame,shame,shameshame
Celebrating 'Republic Day' does not deliver the exact sense of being free to post ideas and thoughts. We need to understand the actually depth of being 'Republic' otherwise it seems to be a mere wastage of time and manpower. Instead of pondering our plans on external security we equally need to be concerned about our internal threats too.
This should be bullshit at its purest! What is a republic ? Derived from res-publica, the word translates to things of public. When everything in this country that ought to have become a republic, are now in private hands, we do not have anything to boast about being a republic now. Whatever public - the military, for instance , judiciary or parliament as others - we have now are only to ensure that private interests are protected or legislations introduced to effect the its protection. The picture of a perplexed jawan looking out for an ambiguous infiltrator adds a touch of comic to this piece of bullshit alert, like a cartoon appearing in a front page of a daily ! Those who are celebrating this republic in greatest thrill are the corporates, to whom the republic has given way !! It has been such a smooth takeover, that no one ever could image - a very silent overthrow, a silent takeover - a revolution completed without any complications. What else could this be, other than bullshit ?
As indians are dying with powerty and hunger Mr.Raj Thackrey's country as well and even in more severe condition. Moreover you can see Indian soil was always been attacked first and then they retailate.If "Ravi"s country stop celebrating these events may be India can too.
How correct all the above three comments! But it will never enter into the heads of our ruling government or the opposition leaders, including the president, prime minister and the opposition leader!!! Hence our democracy will continue to be the mockery of democracy!
Why so scared? Have you ever heard of these types of threat in newzealand, china, or any peaceful country? It is becuase not the outside[I will say loudly our own leader's and poverty are more dangerous then any other neighbour] but our own weakness and system of injustice. May our illetrate leaders can have sense to stop fighting with each neighbour and concentrate on removing poverty and injustice system
Every year several crores are being spent on celebrations and thousands of manhours are wasted in this exercise. Can we not celebrate on a lesser scale once every four years so that the amount saved can be usefully spent on improving the living conditions of the poor?
What is the need to celebrate republic day, when thousands of people are dying of hunger and poverty in the country. The government can spend this money on health care and education instead of giving false impression of military power to the brain washed indians.