This year’s big Independence Day event at the Red Fort in Delhi will feature around 1,800 ‘special guests’ as part of the government’s “Jan Bhagidari” push…reports Asian Lite News
With the approaching Independence Day celebrations and the upcoming G-20 Summit, the Delhi Police’s Special Branch has issued a vigilant advisory to all officers, urging heightened alertness.
In preparation for the Independence Day parade, where more than 30,000 visitors are expected, the police have taken comprehensive measures to mirror the security arrangements of the pre-pandemic era. These precautions encompass a network of over 1,000 cameras, a robust four-layer security protocol, anti-drone systems, facial recognition technologies, expert bomb disposal units, and the presence of para-military forces.
The advisory, designed to thwart potential breaches by hostile entities, terrorist organisations, or anti-national groups impersonating officials, warns officers about the risks of impersonation and spoofing. It details how adversaries might use telephone calls, both domestic and international, or social messengers to deceive police personnel by adopting the identity of senior officials or the police department itself.
Additionally, these elements might gather intelligence from individuals associated with public vendors or employees indirectly linked to event arrangements. Social media accounts of officers stationed at sensitive locations could also be exploited for information collection, while fake emails may be deployed to extract sensitive data.
To counter such threats, the Special Branch offers practical recommendations for officers. These guidelines stresses on refraining from sharing any form of information through phone or social media with unknown individuals posing as government officials without independently verifying their credentials. Protecting computer systems containing sensitive data against potential cyberattacks is deemed paramount, with adherence to established cyber safety protocols strongly advised.
This year’s big Independence Day event at the Red Fort in Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the National Flag and deliver the customary address to the nation, will feature around 1,800 ‘special guests’ as part of the government’s “Jan Bhagidari” push to encourage public participation in governance.
The ‘special guests’ invited to the Red Fort event include Sarpanches of vibrant villages, representatives from the Farmer Producer Organisations scheme, beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Shram Yogis (construction workers) of the Central Vista Project, Khadi workers, those involved in construction of border roads, making of Amrit Sarovar and Har Ghar Jal Yojana as well as primary school teachers, nurses, and fishermen.
Selfie points dedicated to different schemes and initiatives of the government have also been installed at 12 locations across the national capital.
As part of the celebrations, an online selfie contest will be conducted by Ministry of Defence on MyGov portal from August 15-20. People are encouraged to take selfies at one or more of the 12 installations and upload them on MyGov platform to take part in the contest. Twelve winners, one from each installation, will be selected on the basis of the online selfie contest. The winners would be given prize money of ₹ 10,000 each,” a government release said.
The Indian Army is the coordinating service at the Red Fort this year.
“Major Nikita Nair and Major Jasmine Kaur will assist the Prime Minister in unfurling the National Flag,” the release said.
As soon as the National Flag is unfurled by the Prime Minister, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Mark-III Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation.
PM Modi on Sunday changed his profile picture on his social media handles to ‘Tiranga’ (Indian flag) ahead of Independence Day celebrations, and also urged citizens to change the Display Picture (DP) of their social media accounts and extend support to this “unique effort”.
“In the spirit of the #HarGharTiranga movement, let us change the DP of our social media accounts and extend support to this unique effort which will deepen the bond between our beloved country and us,” he tweeted.
Earlier on Friday, the PM urged the people to participate in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign from August 13 to 15 this year.
PM Modi said that the Indian flag symbolises the spirit of freedom and national unity and urged the people to upload their photographs with the Tiranga on the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ website.
“The Tiranga symbolises the spirit of freedom and national unity. Every Indian has an emotional connect with the Tricolour and it inspires us to work harder to further national progress,” he tweeted.
ALSO READ-Ahead of Independence Day, another Hindu temple vandalised in Canada