On the 45^th day of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 176 Yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave. Till date 2,20,154 Yatris had darshan at the Holy Cave.

The 70^th Independence Day was celebrated across the Kashmir division with enthusiasm and traditional fervor. People from different sections of the society, including senior government functionaries, members of police, security forces and students of various educational institutions took part in the Independence Day functions at the district headquarters.

At Budgam : Minister for Agriculture Production, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura unfurled the National Flag, inspected the parade and took salute at the march past presented by JKP, JKAP, Home Guard and CRPF at the main function held at Sports Stadium here.

 MLC, Mr. Saif ud Din Bhat, DC Budgam, Mr. Mir Altaf Ahmad, SSP Budgam, Mr. Abdul Waheed Shah, Commanding Officer 53RR, officers / officials from civil administration, police, CRPF and district President PDP, Mr. Mohi-ud-Din Muntazir were also present on the occasion.

          Speaking on the occasion, the Minister extended greetings to the people and paid rich tributes to all those who scarified their lives for attaining the freedom. He said the nation is indebted to all those who struggled and put hard efforts to liberate the country from the clutches of cruel colonial rulers and it is the duty of every countryman/woman to contribute for preserving the hard won independence.

Highlighting the achievements during the previous regime of PDP under the leadership of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the Minister said that the present dispensation will maintain the same vision and momentum of development of all regions of the State with spirit and enthusiasm and come up to the expectations of the people who have shown great faith in the PDP. He said the present regime is committed to bridge the gap between all the regions of the state and maintain cordial relations with the people, besides ensuring peace, progress and tranquility.

          The Minister appealed the people to extend their wholehearted support for maintaining peace in the Valley. He called upon the parents to give counseling to their wards not to resort to violence as it doesn’t solve any issue, saying that, the issues, if any, can be addressed through dialogue for which the Government is committed.

          While highlighting the support of the Central Government, the Minister said that Centre fully acknowledges the financial constrains of the State Government and to overcome these odds, and to undertake infrastructural development of the State, has sanctioned a whooping package of Rs. 80,000 crore. This package will transform the developmental scenario of Jammu and Kashmir in all fronts. He also highlighted various flagship schemes/programmes initiated by the Central and State Government for the welfare and progress of the State.

At Anantnag: Minister for Roads and Building and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri hoisted the national flag at the district level function held at Government Degree College (Boys) Anantnag and took salute at the march past presented by the contingents of CRPF, J&K Police, IRP, District Ladies Police, J&K Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Protection Force.

Legislators, A.R Rather, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, Sofi Muhammad Yousuf, former Legislator and Chairman, Khadi & Village and Industries, Board, Peerzada Mansoor Ahmad, former legislators, Muhammad Rafi Mir and Nizam-ud-din Khatana, besides senior functionaries of civil and police departments including DC Anantnag, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, DIG South Kashmir, Nitish Kumar attended the function.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister remembered the numerous sacrifices of people from all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, creed and colour for securing the freedom from the British rule after a long struggle. He paid rich tributes to all those who sacrificed their lives for the cause and called upon the people, especially the younger generation to contribute for preserving the hard won independence.

Highlighting the achievements of the present coalition government headed by Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, the Minister said that several initiatives have been taken for the holistic development of the state and Anantnag district specifically. He said projects like Government Medical College at Dialgam to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 190 crore, construction of Circular roads of the town at a cost of Rs 125 Crore are some of the key initiatives for changing development scenario. He said that the government has also taken steps to improve the education system for which the present coalition government managed to vacate the land at University South campus, High Ground Anantnag which was under the use of the security forces.

He called upon the people, especially the youth to maintain calm and help in maintaining peace, which is must for ensuring development and progress of the State.

At Kupwara : Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq Khan hoisted the National Flag , inspected the parade and took salute at combined march past presented by the contingents of JKP, JKAP, CRPF, Home Guards, FPF and SPOs.

On the occasion, he appealed the people to shun the path of violence and join hands with the government for ensuring all round development and progress of the State. He said the grievances of the society, if any, can only be addressed though peaceful means and dialogue, for which the present Government making all out efforts in this direction.

He also expressed concern over the deaths during the present unrest and called upon the youth not to resort to stone pelting and help in maintaining peace.

He also threw light on the independence of the country and paid rich tributes to all those who laid down their lives while participating in the long liberation struggle.

On this occasion the MLA Kupwara Mr. Bashir Ahmad Dar , District Development Commissioner ,Rajeev Ranjan , SSP Kupwara Mr. Shamsheer Hussain, ADC Kupwara Dr Hafeez Masoodi, Offices of District administration , Police, Army and other disciplinary besides political and field workers were present the occasion witnessed the programme.

At Baramulla: Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari unfurled the national flag at DPL Baramulla and inspected the parade, took salute on the march past by contingents of Police, CRPF, NCC, Fire & Emergency, SSB besides the contingents of students from KV & Army Goodwill School.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that as the whole nation is celebrating 70^th Independence Day which is really a proud moment for all. He remembered the national heroes who sacrificed their lives for achieving the freedom for the countrymen. He paid them rich tributes for their great contribution for the nation and said that the countrymen will remain ever indebted to them, said Mr. Bukhari.

Maintaining that the Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a very difficult phase, the Minister said that it is very painful to see stones in the hands of young children which ought to have books and laptops. He said that Independence Day celebration carries weight only when peace and harmony prevails in the society and it is our collective duty and responsibility to carry forward the development and progress of the nation and live a dignified life. Pointing to those who handover stones in the hands of the young children, the Minister warned such elements to refrain from such so-called activities which are responsible for spoiling the career of the younger generation.

The Minister further said that government is committed to equitable development of all the three regions of the state and is striving hard to extend basic amenities at the grass root level. He appealed for maintaining peace and cooperating with the administration for bringing the holistic development of the district.

MLA Baramulla Mr. Javeed Hassan Being, DIG Baramulla, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, SSP Baramulla and other officers form army besides prominent citizens and a large number of locals were present on the occasion.

          At Pulwama: Minister for Finance, Labour and Employment, Dr. Haseeb Drabu hoisted the National Flag, inspected parade and took salute of the march past presented by the contingents of J&K Police, CRPF, Forest Protection Force and that of Fire and Emergency Services participated in the march past.

            The Minister while highlighting the significance of the occasion expressed grief over the killing of 58 persons during the ongoing unrest in the Valley and said that the present government is much concerned about the situation in Kashmir and efforts are being made to initiate dialogue with all stakeholders to address the genuine concerns of the people.

Referring to the agenda of alliance and the vision of late Mr. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he said that during last 70 years, due to dearth of funds, developmental works were going on at a snail’s pace. But now when the present government managed funds, the government is unable to spend these due to prevailing turmoil in the Valley and peace is indispensible to ferry the State on the path of development.

            Present on the occasion were Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Mr. Muneer-ul-Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad Mirza, Additional Commissioner, Development Pulwama, Mr. Fayaz Ahmad Fayaz, officer from army and CRPF besides officers and officials of district and sectoral offices.

            National Flag was also hoisted at subdivision Tral and all tehsils of district Pulwama.

         At Kulgam: Minister for Hajj and Auqaf, Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi unfurled the National Flag and took salute at the march past presented by the contingents of J&K Police, CRPF and other wings of paramilitary forces participated in the parade.

          Speaking on the occasion, the Minister highlighted the significance of the occasion and said that the day marks the liberation of country from the colonial British rule after a long struggle by all sections of the society. Every countryman/woman should feel proud to celebrate this day with joy and fervor, said the Minister.

On this occasion, the Minister appealed the people to maintain peace and tranquility in the State which is pre-requisite for ensuring development and progress. He said that the present coalition government is committed to the overall development of Kulgam district for which several initiatives have already been taken.

Senior functionaries of civil and police administration, including, DC Kulgam participated in the function.

                        At Shopian : Minister of State for Forest & Sheep Husbandry, Mr Zahoor Ahamd Mir unfurled the tricolor and took salute  at the march past presented by the contingents of J&K Police, CRPF, Armed Police, Home Guard voluntaries and forest protection force.

 On this occasion, the Minister greeted the people of the State for the auspicious day and remembered the hard work of those who contributed for the long struggle for attaining the freedom for the country.

The Minister also appealed the people, especially the youth to become partner in the development process of the State and strengthen the hands of the present government which is committed for peace and prosperity in the state.

MLA Wachi Mr Aijaz Ahamd Mir, Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Mr. G M Dar, SSP Shopian, ADC, and other officers of district administration were also present.

At Bandipora:  Minister for Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries, Abdul Gani Kohli hoisted the National Flag at the main function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Sports Stadium here and took salute of the march past presented by the contingents of JKP, CRPF, IRP, NCC and school children.

District Development Commissioner, Bandipora, SP Bandipora, senior officers from civil administration, police, army, besides senior citizens, students and a large number of people attended the function.

The Minister greeted the people on this special occasion and said that the day reminds us the importance and sacrifices of all those who fought for the independence of the country for securing the future of the generations. He called upon the people to make their efforts to strengthen the ethics and bonds of mutual brotherhood, tolerance to make the society progressive and prosperous. He also appealed the people to leave the path of confrontation and join their force with the government to make the Jammu and Kashmir a best place on the planet. He said Kashmir is known for peace, tranquility, tolerance and mutual brotherhood from the ages, and people must make the collective efforts to maintain and preserve its unique character.

The school children presented a variety of theme based cultural programmes on the occasion.

Later, the Minister distributed prizes and certificates among the meritorious participants and employees for their meritorious services in different fields.

At Kargil: The Chairman/Chief Executive Councilor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil, Haji Mohammad Haneef Jan hoisted the national flag at Khree Sultan Chow Sports Stadium and took salute at the march past presented by the forces of different wings and school children.

Legislators, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalai, Ghulam Raza, Executive Councilor Councilors Deputy Commissioner, Hassan Khan,, SSP Kargil, and district officers of various departments where present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Haneef Jan said that the sacrifices made by the great leaders of the nation like Mahatma Gandhi, Moulana Abul Kalam Azad and so many others who fought for attaining the freedom for us and it is the duty of all to preserve and strengthen the democracy and integrity of the nation. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were equally partner in the freedom struggle and it was the joint struggle which brought the result after many hardships and odds.

He greeted the people for this special day and said that every countryman/woman should have proud on this occasion. He also issued an appeal to the people of Valley to maintain peace for the progress and development of the State.

He also hailed the wholehearted support by the Central Government for the development of this hilly region and hoped that the Centre will continue to focus on the development of the region and people. He hoped that the development initiatives announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Kargil district will be expeditiously implemented on ground.

The School children and artists from Cultural Academy Kargil presented much performance. The councilor distributed mementoes and consolation prizes among the participants and other administrative officers on the conclusion.

At Leh: Chief Executive Counselor, LAHDC, Dr. Sonam Dawa Lonpo unfurled the national tri-colour amidst the gathering of thousands of people at Polo Ground with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervor.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Sonam Dawa said that Independence Day is a moment to remember the freedom fighters who gave supreme sacrifices to free our country. He said the occasion is to take a pledge, commitment to serve our motherland and contribute our part of duty and responsibility for the development and progress of the nation. He said it is our collective responsibility to strengthen the bonds of mutual brotherhood, tolerance and integrity of the nation which we all have got after a great struggle by our forefathers.

Highlighting the achievements of LAHDC, Leh in last 10 months, the CEC said that due to timely and prompt action of Council, today farmers of Leh district are ready to harvest their crops, adding that we have been successful in restoring almost all the damaged canals and head works which were damaged in 2015 floods. The beautification project of Leh in main Leh bazaar is 90% complete and the market will be handed over to the public in next 5 to 10 days. The blacktopping of roads in Housing Colony is almost complete and blacktopping of Fort Road and Shynam roads will start in next couple of days, said the CEC.

Dr Dawa appealed all the people representatives irrespective of political parties, responsible citizens, Govt officers and officials to shoulder their responsibilities in implementing all the Govt schemes with utmost dedication and sincerity.

H H Todkan Rinpochey MP, MLA Leh Nawang Rigzin Jora, MLA Nuba Deldan Namgyal,  Executive Councilors DC, Leh Parasanna Ramaswamy G, SSP, Leh T Gyalpo, heads of political, religious and social organizations and district and army officers.

At  Ganderbal : Minister of State for Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Ms. Asiea Naqash hoists the national flag and took salute at the march past presented by the contingents of JKP, JKAP, CRPF, PTS Manigam, Forest protection Force and TIBP.

          The Minister greeted the people on this special day and appealed for strengthening the bonds of democracy and mutual brotherhood, which is the unique identity of country and Jammu and Kashmir. She reminded the hard struggle by great leaders of the country who fought the long struggle for attaining the freedom for the countrymen, and it is the duty of every citizen to preserve this gift, she added.

Listing the initiatives of the coalition Government, the Minister said that the establishment of Central University and sanctioning the AIIMS in Kashmir Valley were the landmark achievements. She said that ground work on the construction of Zojila tunnel has been started adding that the people of Ganderbal would be benefitted tremendously once the tunnel is completed.

Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Mr. Tariq Hussain Ganai, SP Ganderbal, Mr. Imtiyaz Ismail Parray, senior civil and police officers and large number of public were present on the occasion.

On Monday morning militants fired upon police and CRPF deployment at Nowhatta Chowk near Jamia Masjid in the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowhatta Srinagar.

In the firing by the militants nine security force personnel including Commanding Officer of CRPF 49 Bn Shri Promod Kumar and a Police Constable were injured. All the injured were shifted to hospital for treatment where the Commanding officer succumbed to his injuries.

The militants entered in a building which was immediately cordoned off. An encounter ensued in which two militants were killed.

Their identity is being ascertained.

Two AK rifles, eight magazines with ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site.

Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti this afternoon visited the CRPF Training Centre at Humhama where she laid floral wreath on the coffin of Pramod Kumar, Commandant, 49^th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Director General of Police, Mr K Rajendra Kumar and senior officers of CRPF were present during wreath-laying.

CRPF Commandant Pramod Kumar was killed and several paramilitary personnel were injured after militants hurled a grenade and opened fire at a security patrol in old city area of Nowhatta earlier today.

The Chief Minister while expressing solidarity with the family of the slain CRPF officer, prayed for the peace to the departed soul.

Strongly condemning the latest incidents of militant violence in the State, the Chief Minister said that in a similar dastardly incident the militants killed a cop and a civilian in Kulgam area the other day. She said by indulging in such violent activities the militants are making desperate attempts to once again trigger bloodshed in Kashmir and subvert the peace efforts.

The Chief Minister called for isolating the elements indulging in violence which has only brought miseries for the people in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Flag was unfurled by Hilal Ahmad Rather, Superintendent of Central Jail, Srinagar in the jail premises to mark 70^th Independence Day.

Deputy Superintendent (S), Assistant Superintendents and all Prison staff of Central Jail, Srinagar alongwith CRPF personnel posted in Central Jail, Srinagar were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Superintendent Central Jail highlighted the importance of Independence Day “which has been achieved by way of valuable, limitless and unforgettable sacrifices.”

Sweets were distributed on the occasion among the prisoners and other participants and cultural programme was also organized.

Maintaining that violence has only brought miseries to Kashmir and is not a means to seek resolution of problems, Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti today said a solution can only be found through democratic and political means involving engagement and dialogue.

“Time has come for the leadership of the country and the State to fully retrieve the people of Jammu & Kashmir, with honor and dignity, from the political uncertainties they are engulfed in for the past seven decades,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the main Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium here.

“The notion that creating disturbances and fueling violence will lead to resolution of the problem is completely misplaced as Kashmir underwent perilous phase of violence in early nineties leaving behind a scary trail of death and destruction. Have we achieved anything out of that gory era of bloodshed and devastation?” she asked. She said neither the stones nor the guns either in hands of the militants or the in the hands of security forces would enable a peaceful solution of the problem.

Ms Mehbooba said violence only deprives and devastates the people of opportunity and a better life and resolution lies in democracy, dialogue and development. “The dialogue and reconciliation is, and remains, the only way of settling any disputes, be it regional, territorial or indigenous conflict,” she said and added that the people of the State, irrespective of their age, gender, status or the political affiliation, have been suffering the disastrous consequences of the turmoil and they have to be retrieved from this quagmire. “As a confidence building measure we will have to reach out to the people of the State, irrespective of their political affiliations,” she said adding; “My sole objective is to end the pain and miseries of the people of Jammu and Kashmir once for all and strive for their larger political empowerment and inclusive prosperity.”

Expressing deep anguish over the loss of precious human lives in ongoing unrest, the Chief Minister said although no measure on earth can heal the deep wounds of the victim families, tangible confidence building measures could to some extent restore the hurt psyche of the people and salvage their bruised dignity. “We have to reinforce the resolve to work through peaceful means and through public participation towards restoration of peace in the State,” she said and added that an effort has to be made to reach-out and engage all sections of the society in a productive dialogue process and revive intra and inter-state confidence building measures to resolve the issues. “If we can’t find our solution in the world’s biggest democracy, we won’t find it anywhere else,” she said.

Calling for a political will and broader national consensus to address the issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir, Ms Mehbooba said elements of sanity, common sense and pragmatism should be picked up to strike a new benchmark in the State in light of the global and sub-continental realities. “I assure you that there will be decisive movement forward on political, economic and developmental fronts in coming days, transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a politically stable and economically prosperous state,” she said and asserted that substantive measures would be taken on political, economic and developmental fronts to address the aspirations and concerns of the people. “It won’t be like 2008 and 2010 unrests when political and other delegations came to Kashmir without anything substantive being done,” she said and added; “My government’s endeavor is to start a meaningful initiative so that there is no repeat of situations like today every five or 10 years.”

Calling for reverting back to the ‘Healing Touch Policy’ that was put in place by the PDP-led government in 2002, Ms Mehbooba said the then Government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had between 2002 and 2005 not only created a sense of security among the people but also restored dignity of the common masses by pioneering and implementing substantive peace and reconciliation measures within the State and across the border. “The combination of political, developmental and diplomatic approach after 2002 elections and the atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir as well the world around it transformed almost unrecognizably,” she said and added that it could not have happened without the statesmanship displayed by the leaders of NDA and its successor UPA. “The same spirit will have to be invoked now to come out of the crisis faced by Kashmir,” she said and expressed the hope that the assertion of Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi that he will pursue the agenda of Insaaniyat, Jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat on J&K as outlined by the then Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee will set the momentum for a fresh initiative on Kashmir. “We hope that the efforts put in during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime would be taken to logical conclusion now under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make peace and stability a reality in the State and the region,” she said.

Ms Mehbooba said while on the external front right environment for peace has to be created through Indo-Pak engagement, on the internal front a broad-based political process has to be started involving all sections of the society. “There is no cut and die or a ready-made formula to resolve the issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir, but a solution will only come through an evolutionary process,” she said and added that the peace and reconciliation process has to be started within the state and the region, sooner the better.

Exuding confidence that walls of hatred between India and Pakis­tan would fall one day, Ms Mehbooba said people-to-people contact between two nations is already showing hopeful signs and it needs to be expanded further. Making an impassioned appeal to all political parties to sink their political differences for the larger objective of achieving peace in J&K, she called for a consensus among all political parties within and outside the state for restoration of peace in the State and revival of peace process in the region. She asked the Pakistani leadership to join India to bring peace to the region. “If you love J&K, scrap the borders, bring J&K and PoK together and make the region an example of SAARC unity,” she said and added that the agenda of SAARC countries cannot be attained unless both India and Pakistan unite for a common cause of development.

Describing her efforts to transform the situation in J&K as a big challenge, Ms Mehbooba said she wanted her government to make all possible efforts so that nobody has a justification to resort to violence. “There is no scope for delaying any further a meaningful and bold response to what has now developed into a moral, political and humanitarian challenge for this billion plus nation,” she said and added that the crisis of Kashmir has not to be viewed as a mere geographical or strategic problem but has to be recognized as a painful issue that has to be resolved with dignity and respect for a people with a proud and distinct cultural identity and aspirations.

Ms Mehbooba said the youth are pivotal to restoring peace and prosperity in the State. “I am openly seeking the support and understanding from the youth of Kashmir to stay away from any activities that might jeopardize their safety and well-being,” she said adding; “I would also like to request the parents to counsel their children and help them make the right decisions especially amid charged atmosphere.”

“While politics would evolve and the dust will settle on the ground, can we get back what we have already lost? This loss is of unspeakable magnitude, much bigger then what we think of. The precious human lives lost; people who have been injured, the economic loss and even a single missed school day of our children is unthinkable. How will we answer them in future?” she asked.

“While the societies around us are gaining empowerment through education, ironically our children are being left disempowered by depriving them of education as some people believe that education can wait, but agitation cannot, that chaos on streets is more important than sending children to school,” she said and added the politics of settlement is for the elders to decide and not for the children. “I want to see our children in IITs and IIMs, not on the streets pelting stones. I have a dream of seeing them in central university, not in central jail. Whom are we going to hold responsible for the loss of our children?” she said and added that while no Government on earth would like the people to face the bullets and pellets, but it has to at the same time safeguard the interests of those who are not a part of the agitation.

Ms Mehbooba said distressed by the recent violence, the parents were running away from Kashmir alongwith their children to ensure better education for them in a safe environment. “While the affluent and the middle class can afford to send their children outside the state for education, it is only the wards of the poor who will suffer because of the massive academic loss,” she said.

The Chief Minister said she had taken an initiative to withdraw all the cases against the youth involved in 2008 and 2010 unrest to safeguard their future. “But some people want to keep them in perpetual darkness and are forcing them to resort to violence again,” she said.

“It is important for every stakeholder of this place to understand, do we want to see the fifth generation of Kashmiri youth pushed into chaos,” Ms Mehbooba said and added that her Government wants to take Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s ‘Healing Touch’ policy forward to pave the way for with peace, prosperity and inclusive development of people this region. “People of Jammu and Kashmir are not bad, nor is India bad. Somewhere mistakes were made with regard to J&K by the successive leadership in New Delhi and the parties in the State which resulted in alienation of the people here,” she said and added that a new beginning has to be made to bridge the gap.

Emphasizing that any propaganda like, attempts to erode the special status of Jammu and Kashmir is false, Ms Mehbooba urged the people to give her time so that she could work on the plans and programmes she had charted for peace and progress of the state.

The Chief Minister hailed the state administration including the doctors and other employees who kept on serving the people despite facing difficult situations. “I commend the efforts of all such employees who ensured timely treatment of injured, supply of essentials like electricity, drinking water, rations and other commodities amid prevailing situation,” she said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister unfurled the National Flag and took salute at the march past presented by the contingents of J&K Police, CRPF, Fire & Emergency Services, Home Guard, BSF, SSB, Forest Protection Force, ITBP, SDRF and NCC. She also inspected the guard of Honor presented on the occasion.

Chairman Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali, Ministers, Advisor to Chief Minister, Members of Parliament, Legislators, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Administrative Secretaries other dignitaries, officers and large number of people were also present.