THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Highlighting that freedom fighters dreamt of an India without caste discrimination, communalism, poverty, and child labour, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the country is yet to achieve these dreams, in his Independence Day message.
“While we are proud of the achievements India has made in various fields, we must never forget India's social reality,” the Chief Minister said at the Central Stadium here.
Citing that citizens should uphold the constitutional values of democracy, secularism, and socialism, the CM also emphasised that India's biggest achievement in the last decades was how the country preserved democracy through this period.
He also highlighted how Kerala should move forward in the coming years to contribute towards the country.
“On one side, we have extreme poverty eradication, and on the other side, the building of a new Kerala,” he said.
After hoisting the national flag, the Chief Minister received the guard of honour from different armed forces during the parade led by Nedumangad sub-division assistant superintendent and Parade Commander Achyuth Ashok, and second-in-command Kerala Armed Police assistant commandant Sumesh AS.
The parade featured officers from the Thiruvananthapuram City Police, Tamil Nadu Police, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, Motor Vehicles Department, NCC, Scouts, Aswarooda Sena, among others.
The Chief Minister also presented the President's Medals for Distinguished Service to officers from the Police, Fire, and Correctional departments.
The ceremony was attended by civil supplies minister GR Anil, legislators Kadakampally Surendran, Antony Raju, and VK Prasanth, district collector Anu Kumari, senior police officers including DGP Ravada Chandrasekar and Manoj Abraham, mayor Arya Rajendran, among others.