New Delhi, Aug 9: Ahead of the 80th Independence Day celebrations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ across various states. Party leaders said the rally is meant to honour the sacrifices of the freedom fighters to uphold the nation’s Tricolour.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took part in a ‘Tiranga Yatra’.

Speaking to reporters, he said: With the call of ‘Quit India’, the world witnessed the longing for freedom within India… It is the duty of every patriotic citizen to remember the sacrifices made by all our revolutionaries, martyrs and freedom fighters, who made sacrifices. Therefore, as Independence Day is approaching, the Tiranga Yatra has been launched across the country.”

“We pray that India remains forever young and that independence remains forever immortal,” CM Yadav added.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak noted that August 9 also marks the ‘Kakori Train Action Day’.

“Even before Independence Day, we have seen great enthusiasm among the youth across the state. Today, lakhs of young people came out onto the streets carrying the Tricolour and took a pledge to carry it from booth to booth. The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign is turning out to be highly successful in the state,” he told media.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also participated in the Tiranga rally.

“Our youth are a symbol of energy. Our youth have the strength to face every challenge for the country. This youth energy should get the right platform to move forward and prepare themselves to face the challenges of the country and society. They should also receive traditional education. With this vision, the Tiranga Yatra is being launched across the country by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the world’s largest political organisation…” the CM added.

Rajasthan Minister Jogaram Patel told reporters in the state’s Jodhpur district that throughout the Independence Day week, the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign will be carried out across Rajasthan and the country.

“We started the campaign from Jodhpur today, followed by a Tiranga rally in which a large number of people participated,” he mentioned.

Highlighting that the Tricolour represents patriotism and the spirit of ‘nation first’, he added: “Through this Tiranga Yatra, we are remembering the sacrifices of all our freedom fighters.”

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth took part in the event in Jharkhand’s Ranchi.

“Through the Tiranga Yatra, the spirit of ‘Nation First’ is being promoted. The Tiranga is our pride, honour and glory,” he said.

Jharkhand BJP President Aditya Sahu added: “Crores of people had sacrificed their lives for this tricolour. So many women lost their husbands and children were orphaned. So, to uphold the honour of the Tricolour, the Tiranga Yatra is being held across the country, on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

In West Bengal’s Kharagpur, Minister Dilip Ghosh also took part in the rally, saying that the Tiranga Yatra will be extended to other districts of the state.

“Across Bengal, the Tiranga will be taken to every household and placed in every home. On August 10, a big carnival will be held in Kolkata where scores of people are expected to participate,” he told reporters.

A day earlier, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign with a march in his Assembly constituency of Bhabanipur.

Amaravati, Aug 9: At least 20 passengers were injured when a private bus in which they were travelling fell off a bridge after a collision with another vehicle in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district on Sunday.

The accident occurred on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway near Pogarur in Pamidi mandal early in the morning.

According to police, a private bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru collided with a vehicle on the bridge. Such was the impact of the collision that both the vehicles fell off the bridge.

Twenty passengers sustained grievous injuries. Police rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation with the help of locals.

Police personnel pulled out the passengers trapped in the bus and shifted them to government hospitals at Pamidi and Anantapur.

A JCB was pressed into service to pull out some of the injured, including the bus driver. The condition of the bus driver is stated to be critical.

The accident led to a huge traffic jam on the national highway. Motorists faced severe hardship due to the traffic jam.

Additional police personnel rushed to the spot and cleared the traffic jam.

Andhra Pradesh is one of the states known for a high number of road accidents. On average, 22 people are losing their lives in road accidents in the state every day.

The state recorded 9,194 accidents from January to June this year, claiming 4,058 lives.

Last year, road accidents in the state claimed 23 lives every day. Though this number has slightly come down this year, the high number of road fatalities remains a cause of concern.

Police say non-compliance with traffic rules and safety norms and negligent driving are the main causes of accidents.

Statistics show two-wheeler riders account for the highest number of fatalities. In the 9,194 accidents reported so far this year, 3,980 two-wheelers were involved. As many as 1,835 (45.21 per cent) of those who died were two-wheeler riders.

The second-highest fatalities (669) were of pedestrians.

Lucknow, Aug 9: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday launched the ‘Tiranga Yatra with Youth’ programme in the state under the Centre’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, with a large number of young people participating in the patriotic march.

Several senior BJP leaders and office-bearers, including BJP Uttar Pradesh president and Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and other party leaders, were present at the event.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion of the flag-off, Adityanath welcomed the leaders participating in the programme.

“On the occasion of the flag-off of the Tiranga Yatra, I welcome all present, BJP state president and Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brijesh Pathak…” the Chief Minister said.

“Our youth are a symbol of energy. Our youth have the strength to face every challenge for the country. This youth energy should get the right platform to move forward and prepare themselves to face the challenges of the country and society. They should also receive traditional education. With this vision, the Tiranga Yatra is being launched across the country by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the world’s largest political organisation…” he added.

The Tiranga Yatra saw enthusiastic participation from youth, with the Tricolour unfurled and carried as participants marched to highlight patriotism, national unity and a sense of responsibility towards the country.

BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said the campaign had contributed to a new sense of transformation and national consciousness across the country, with Uttar Pradesh emerging as an example.

“A new transformation has come across the country, and Uttar Pradesh has become an example of it. Several Kartavya Paths have been constructed at various places, and many things have been built in the names of Abdul Kalam and several other personalities,” Sharma said.

He said the Tiranga Yatra helped awaken a feeling of dedication to the nation and recalled the large-scale participation witnessed in the yatras in 2023 and 2024.

“The Tiranga Yatra awakens a sense of dedication towards the country, and crores of people participated in the yatras in 2023 and 2024. The Tiranga Yatra is, in a way, a festival of a new awakening,” Sharma said.

BJP leader Pooja Pal credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with taking the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign to a large scale and promoting a sense of national pride among citizens.

“I would like to thank our country’s Prime Minister, who has organised the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign on such a large scale. For several years, he has continuously worked for the nation, for national pride, and for strengthening it, while giving the people of the country a message about how they can develop a sense of attachment to their nation and how dedicated they can be towards it,” Pal said.

BJP Uttar Pradesh Vice President Neeraj Singh said the Tricolour represented much more than its three colours, describing it as a symbol of the sacrifices, purity and heritage.

“This is not merely a flag of three colours; this celebration of the Tricolour embodies our sacrifices, our purity, and our rich heritage,” Singh said.

He emphasised the role of young people in the programme, saying they would play a key role in achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047.

“Today, our youth are leading this entire event, the youth who will fulfil the resolve of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, and the entire leadership of Honourable Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also participating in this program,” Singh said.

The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign encourages citizens to hoist the national flag at their homes and participate in activities celebrating the Tricolour and national pride during the Independence Day period.

The Tiranga Yatra is among the events organised under the campaign to encourage public participation, particularly among young people, in commemorating India’s Independence Day.