‘BIRTH OF NATION' CELEBRATIONS START IN INDIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1947, Page 7

‘BIRTH OF NATION' CELEBRATIONS START IN INDIA

KARACHI, August 13.

Mr Jinnah proposed the toast of the'King at a State dinner in honour of the Viceroy (Lord Mountbatten) and Lady Mountbatten, who reached Karachi to participate in Pakistan’s (‘birth of the nation” celebrations. Lord and Lady Mountbatten are later attending a great reception at which there will be thousands of guests. “Indians, rich and poor alike, arc taxing their ingenuity to devise something wonderful enough to celebrate the beginning of independence in Pakistan tomorrow, and in India on Friday,” reports the correspondent of the Associated Press in New Delhi. Pomp and Splendour “Scenes. of pomp and Oriental splendour, with sacrifices to the gods, magnificent fireworks displays, and speeches, will occur in Karachi and New Delhi. The poor will receive sweets, and criminals in several provinces have been promised a remission of their death or gaol sentences.

“Not all the people, however, will have much to celebrate. Terrorists stalk the countryside in sections of the Punjab and Bengal and elsewhere.* killing as a protest over certain phases of the country’s division. Refugees who have fled for their lives huddle miserably in camps. “The last strike of midnight tomorrow will find the Constituent Assembly in session in 'New Delhi. It will observe two minutes’ silence for those who died in the fight for freedom. The Assembly will declare its willingness to accept Admiral Lord Mountbatten, last of the Viceroys, as Governor-General.

State Parade

“Admiral Mountbatten, after taking the oath of office on Friday at Govr ernment House, will drive in - State with the Ministers to the Assembly to read His Majesty’s proclamation of Dominion status. A 31-gun salute will be fired. Admiral Mountbatten wiL then lead a State parade through rows of troops to the India Arch where, as the guns again fire, he will haul down the Union Jack and run up India’s tricolour. The troops will march past, and a spectacular fireworks display will end the ceremonies.

“The Union Jack will also be lowered at the British Residency in Lucknow, where it is flown 24 hours daily —the only place in the world where this is permitted—in recognition of the garrison’s stand against the mutineers.”