71st Independence day celebrated in West Bengal with much fanfare

People across West Bengal today celebrated the 71st Independence Day taking out colourful processions, organising parades and cultural programmes.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unfurled the national Tricolour on Red Road here and received guard of honour from the Kolkata police. Cultural programmes were held by school children and various artistes at the Red Road venue. Colourful tableaux depicting various government schemes like Kanyashree, Sabujshree, Khadya Sathi and Sabuj Sathi were also taken out. A special tableau on the upcoming FIFA World Cup U-17, which will also be hosted in the city, was also there.

Artistes performed Chou dance of Jangalmahal, Bairati dance of Coochbehar district and a folk dance of Sundarbans. Banerjee awarded the Chief Minister's Police medal for outstanding service to ADG & IGP-CID Dr Rajesh Kumar, Bidhanngar CP Gyanwant Singh and Kolkata Police Additional CP III Supratim Sarkar, and other officers. After the conclusion of the Independence Day programme at the Red Road, Banerjee went to pay her offer floral tribute at the base of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue nearby. Earlier in the day West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi visited Gandhi Ghat in Barrackpore where a prayer meeting was held followed by cultural programmes.

In the districts and sub-divisions, authorities and political parties hoisted flags at different governmental buildings and party offices and organised cultural shows, some of which began last night itself. Security has been tightened in the metropolis and bordering districts of West Bengal on the occasion.