AGARTALA/IMPHAL/SHILLONG — Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur on Tuesday separately
celebrated their 53rd Statehood Day by holding a variety of colourful cultural
programmes and other functions.
In view of the prevailing situation arising due to over
20-month long ethnic violence, the Statehood Day functions were low-key in
Manipur. Governors and Chief Ministers of different northeastern states hoped
that the spirit of peace, unity and progress would prevail in the trouble-torn
Manipur.
The three states have taken a series of programmes to
celebrate the day and announced a slew of welfare programmes and various plans
to develop these states in future. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President
Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah,
BJP President and Union Minister J. P. Nadda, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeted the people of the three
states on the occasion.
Several Union ministers, Governors and Chief Ministers of
the neighbouring northeastern states, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge greeted the people of
the three states on the occasion.
In Tripura, the Day's main function was held in Agartala and
Chief Minister Manik Saha addressed a gathering in the famous Rabindra
Shatabarshiki Bhavan.
In his message on the occasion, Meghalaya Chief Minister
Conrad K. Sangma said: "Today, we celebrate 53 glorious years of Meghalaya
- a land of unmatched beauty, rich culture, and resilient spirit."
He said: "As we honour our journey, let's continue
striving for progress and unity, cherishing the dreams of our people. Happy
Meghalaya Day to every proud soul of this incredible state!"
To celebrate the day, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh
addressed the state's main function organised on the occasion of the 53rd
Statehood Day in the first battalion Manipur Rifles Ground in Imphal.
The erstwhile princely states of Tripura and Manipur were
merged into the Indian Union in October 1949 and became full-fledged states on
January 21, 1972.
Meghalaya was part of Assam before becoming a full-fledged
state on the same day. All the three northeastern states became full-fledged
states under the North Eastern Region (Re-Organisation) Act, 1971.
