NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is planning to hold a grand programme at the Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday to mark the beginning of the celebration planned as part of events spread over 75 weeks to celebrate the 75th year of independence. The first event will be held on March 12, anniversary of ‘Salt Satygrah, said senior officials.
“The government has decided to celebrate this momentous occasion for a period of 75 weeks as a festival of patriotism,” announced Deputy CM and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia in his budget speech.
The ‘festival of patriotism’ will showcase the role of the city in the freedom movement. It will focus specially on the contributions of Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar. A separate budget provision of Rs 20 crores has been made to conduct programmes on the inspiring life of both iconic personalities.
“Besides several cultural or musical events, an exhibition is being planned, where archival materials related to the freedom movement like photographs will be displayed. The Delhi Archives will be supervising the event in which other departments will contribute. We will exhibit pre-independence photos of Connaught Place,” said an official.
Swati Sharma, secretary of the arts, culture, and language department, conducted a meeting with officials of tourism, language academics Sahitya Kala Parishad and Delhi Archives department to prepare a plan for the proposal event. During his budget speech, Sisodia said that the government would hold grand events under ‘Festival of India’ and ‘Indian Classical Music Festival’ and felicitate city residents aged 75 years and above.