Independence Day (India)
Independence Day is celebrated annually on 15 August as a public holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, the day when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, which transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly, came into effect. India retained King George VI as head of state until its transition to a republic, when the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950 (celebrated as Indian Republic Day) and replaced the dominion prefix, Dominion of India, with the enactment of the sovereign law Constitution of India. India attained independence following the independence movement noted for largely non-violent resistance and civil disobedience led by Indian National Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi who adopted these values from one of the early movements[1] in India led by Ram Singh Kuka (quoted in one of the letters by Shaheed Bhagat Singh referring Guru Ram Singh as his Dada Guru).
"15 August 1947" redirects here. For other uses, see August 1947 § August 15, 1947 (Friday).Independence Day
Commemorates the independence of India
Flag hoisting, parade, fireworks, singing patriotic songs and the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana, speech by the Prime Minister of India and President of India
Annual
15 August 1947
Independence coincided with the partition of India,[2] in which British India was divided into the Dominions of India and Pakistan; the partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to religious violence. On 15 August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi. On each subsequent Independence Day, the incumbent Prime Minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.[3] The entire event is broadcast by Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster, and usually begins with the shehnai music of Ustad Bismillah Khan. Independence Day is observed throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades and cultural events. It is a national holiday.[4][5][6]
Security threats[edit]
As early as three years after independence, the Naga National Council called for a boycott of Independence Day in northeast India.[47] Separatist protests in this region intensified in the 1980s; calls for boycotts and terrorist attacks by insurgent organisations such as the United Liberation Front of Assam and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, marred celebrations.[48] With increasing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir from the late 1980s,[49] separatist protesters boycotted Independence Day there with bandh (strikes), use of black flags and by flag burning.[50][42][51] Terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jaish-e-Mohammed have issued threats, and have carried out attacks around Independence Day.[52] Boycotting of the celebration has also been advocated by insurgent Maoist rebel organisations.[53][54]
In the anticipation of terrorist attacks, particularly from militants, security measures are intensified, especially in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai and in troubled states such as Jammu and Kashmir.[55][56] The airspace around the Red Fort is declared a no-fly zone to prevent aerial attacks[57] and additional police forces are deployed in other cities.[58]
Since the assassination of Indira Gandhi, prime ministers would give their speeches from behind a bullet-proof glass panel.[59] Since 2014, when Narendra Modi was elected as prime minister, he did away with this tradition.[60] Nevertheless, additional intense measures were taken to ensure security of Modi.[61]
In popular culture[edit]
On Independence Day and Republic Day, patriotic songs in regional languages are broadcast on television and radio channels.[62] They are also played alongside flag-hoisting ceremonies.[62] Patriotic films are broadcast.[32] Over the decades, according to The Times of India, the number of such films broadcast has decreased as channels report that audiences are oversaturated with patriotic films.[63] The population belonging to Generation Y often combine nationalism with popular culture during the celebrations. This mixture is exemplified by outfits and savouries dyed with the tricolour and garments that represent India's various cultural traditions.[37][64] Shops often offer Independence Day sales promotions.[65][66] Some news reports have decried the commercialism.[65][67][68] Indian Postal Service publishes commemorative stamps depicting independence movement leaders, nationalistic themes and defence-related themes on 15 August.[69]
Independence and partition inspired literary and other artistic creations.[70] Such creations mostly describe the human cost of partition, limiting the holiday to a small part of their narrative.[71][72] Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children (1980), which won the Booker Prize and the Booker of Bookers, wove its narrative around children born at midnight of 14–15 August 1947 with magical abilities.[72] Freedom at Midnight (1975) is a non-fiction work by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre that chronicled the events surrounding the first Independence Day celebrations in 1947. Few films centre on the moment of independence,[73][74][75] instead highlighting the circumstances of partition and its aftermath.[73][76][77] On the Internet, Google has been commemorating Independence Day of India since 2003 with a special doodle on its Indian homepage.[78]