India is all set for a display of cultural diversity and military strength as it celebrates its 75th Republic Day with a parade on Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The celebration will be attended by French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest.
Macron along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday participated in a roadshow in the Pink City, where Macron was presented a replica of Ayodhya’s Ram temple and offered masala chai from a teashop before the leaders sat down for discussions.The French president also visited the hilltop Amber Palace, Jantar Mantar observatory and Hawa Mahal yesterday.
The invitation to Macron for the Republic Day celebrations came amid an upswing in ties between the two countries including in areas of defence and security. PM Modi In July attended the Bastille Day parade, which is part of the French National Day celebrations, as the guest of honour.
The counsel for the Hindu side Vishnu Shankar Jain on Thursday claimed that the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi complex suggests that the mosque was constructed on remains of a pre-existing temple. The survey report consisting of 839 pages were made available to the parties concerned by the court late Thursday evening, Jain said. The survey report has sufficient evidence of existence of a temple over which the mosque was built, Jain claimed. The counsel claimed that the survey report makes it clear that the mosque was constructed on remains of a pre-existing temple by demolishing it in the past.
The central government announced on Thursday that former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and actors Chiranjeevi and Vyjayantimala Bali have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the nation’s second-highest civilian award. Bindeshwar Pathak (posthumous) and Padma Subrahmanyam are the others whose name has been announced for the Padma Vibhushan.
