R-Day: Delhi under thick security blanket, over 70,000 personnel deployed across city
New Delhi (PTI): The national capital has been placed under a blanket of security for the 75th Republic Day celebrations on Friday with more than 70,000 personnel deployed across the city, police have said.
Police have also issued an advisory on traffic arrangements while restrictions have been put in place, especially in central Delhi, for the smooth movement of vehicles in the city on Friday.
As many as 14,000 personnel have been deployed at and around Kartavya Path for the security of the Republic Day parade, they said, adding that around 77,000 invitees are expected at Kartavya Path to watch this year's parade.
The grand celebrations on Kartavya Path, with an overarching theme of projecting the nation's women power and democratic values, will be graced by French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Special Commissioner of Police (Security) Dependra Pathak said the security, traffic and district units were working in real-time coordination with the central security agencies for the January 26 celebrations.
He said about 14,000 security personnel with focussed roles and responsibilities will be deployed at the main operational area of Kartavya Path.
Commandoes, quick reaction teams, PCR vans, anti-sabotage checks and SWAT teams will be deployed at the specific strategic locations at Kartavya Path and all around the city, Pathak said, adding that the Delhi Police has prepared to tackle the aerial threats also.
Police have ensured that peace prevails in Delhi's "vulnerable" areas following Monday's consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he added.
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order, Zone II) Madhup Tiwari said at least 77,000 invitees are expected at the parade.
"We have divided the New Delhi district, where the parade will take place, into 28 zones to ensure security. Each zone is headed by the DCP or additional DCP-level officers," Tiwari said.
Booths for missing persons, helpdesks, first-aid kiosks and separate facilitation booths where the visitors can deposit their vehicle keys before the parade have been set up, he stated.
According to the traffic advisory, the parade will start at 10.30 am from Vijay Chowk and proceed towards the Red Fort grounds. There will be a related function at the National War Memorial, India Gate, at 9.30 am.
There will be extensive traffic arrangements and restrictions along the parade route. The parade will pass through Vijay Chowk, Kartavya Path, C-Hexagon, Subhas Chandra Bose roundabout, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhas Marg and Red Fort, the advisory stated.
No traffic movement has been allowed on Kartavya Path from Vijay Chowk to India Gate from 6 pm on Thursday. The restrictions will continue till the parade is over. No cross-traffic will be allowed on Kartavya Path at Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road from 10 pm on Thursday till the end of the parade, the advisory said.
C-Hexagon-India Gate will be closed for traffic from 9.15 am on Friday till the parade crosses Tilak Marg. From 10.30 am on Friday, traffic on Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Netaji Subhas Marg will not be allowed, it said.
Flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms such as paragliders, paramotors, hang gliders, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), microlight aircraft, remotely-piloted aircraft, hot-air balloons, small size-powered aircraft, quadcopters or parajumping from aircraft are prohibited over the jurisdiction of Delhi till February 15.
No heavy transport/light goods vehicles were being allowed to enter Delhi from other states from 11 pm on Thursday till the parade was over. These vehicles were being allowed to ply between ISBT-Sarai Kale Khan and ISBT-Kashmere Gate on the Ring Road from 7.30 am to 1.30 pm on Friday, the advisory stated.
"People with bona fide e-invitation cards or e-tickets for attending the Republic Day ceremony have been issued coupons on the production of government-issued identity cards at stations, which are valid for exits from Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations only to reach Kartavya Path," a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) statement said.
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TVK falls short within touching distance; what next to ensure majority
Chennai (PIT): With TVK falling 10 short of a majority, its leader Vijay has the option of forming a minority government in Tamil Nadu without any outside support, analysts said on Tuesday.
Senior political analyst Sumanth Raman told PTI that the TVK is likely to opt to be a minority government with outside support.
"Since it is the single largest party, TVK has the option to go for that. I don't think he (Vijay) will opt for official support from other political party's MLAs", he said.
"If he opts for minority government, the only thing is that, Vijay will have to prove the support once again after six months".
Raman also pointed out that in 2006 when DMK won only 92 seats, the then party president, the late M Karunanidhi formed a minority government with outside support.
In a completely unexpected turn of events in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the TVK has emerged victorious, putting an end to the almost six decade-long dominance of the two major Dravidian parties--DMK and AIADMK.
By clinching victory in its debut electoral contest, the party has elevated its status to that of a recognised political entity. However, the Vijay-led TVK did not secure a mandate large enough to form a government with an absolute majority on its own, requiring another 10 to cross the finish line. Experts have varied opinions.
Specifically, to attain a simple majority, a political party must win at least 118 out of the total 234 constituencies. The TVK, however, secured victory in 108 constituencies. Given that the TVK fell short of the majority mark, what might unfold next?
TVK leader Vijay has won in both constituencies he contested--Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East. As per the election commission rule, he will have to resign from one of these seats. TVK sources said that the leader is likely to surrender the Tiruchirappalli assembly seat.
If Vijay does so, the party's total tally of seats will decrease by one. Then it will be 107. Adding to the number games, TVK appointed Speaker of the Assembly will be ineligible to cast a vote during a confidence motion and the party's effective voting strength will be reduced by yet another seat, which comes to 106.
Accordingly, the TVK requires the support of an additional 12 members to demonstrate its majority. As of now, within the DMK alliance, the Congress party has secured five seats, the two Communist parties have won two seats each (totaling four), while the DMDK has secured one seat, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has won two seats and the VCK has secured two seats.
Within the AIADMK alliance, the PMK has grabbed four seats, the BJP has won one seat, and the AMMK has secured one seat. Going by the calculations, if TVK gets the support of other parties within both alliances, it would gain an additional 21 seats.
TVK could potentially secure a total of 129 seats (108 + 21). However, the TVK does not require the support of all those parties, and the backing of just 12 members would suffice.
As Vijay is expected to visit Lok Bhavan on Wednesday (May 6) to meet the governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to stake claim to form government, the governor is expected to offer the TVK two options.
First, he may summon the TVK chief and instruct him to demonstrate his majority on the floor of the legislative assembly. Alternatively, he might ask Vijay to gather letters of support from "allied" parties and submit them to him.
If the TVK secures support exceeding 118 seats, the governor would invite the party form the government. If TVK fails to garner support from other political parties, it will be denied the opportunity to form the government.
In such a scenario, the governor has the option to invite the DMK, the party holding the second-highest number of seats to form the government.
If DMK too is unable to form a government, the state of Tamil Nadu will come under governor's rule for the subsequent six months. Following this period, fresh legislative Assembly elections will be once again held across all 234 constituencies.
Another political analyst Durai Karuna ruled out that TVK will go for a minority government.
"If he (Vijay) gives an appeal, many political parties including Congress, VCK and left parties will join TVK", he claimed. "In addition, the AIADMK, which has decided to organise MLAs meeting on Wednesday, might also announce that it would support TVK unconditionally".
He said a clear picture on Vijay's decision will emerge in a couple of days.
Tharasu Shyam, political critic, claimed that Congress was "holding talks with Vijay."
"From now on, the DMK must change its approach and this applies equally to the AIADMK," he said in an apparent reference to some reported difference of opinion between allies DMK and Congress over seat-sharing and power-sharing ahead of the April 23 polls.
Incidentally, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, on Tuesday admitted that the Congress party leadership's decision to stick with the DMK alliance went against strong grassroots sentiment favouring the TVK.
"The local leaders, the grassroots level leaders, were suggesting if Rahul Gandhi, who has a large acceptance in Tamil Nadu, joins the campaign with Vijay, it will create a big impact and we can sweep the Tamil Nadu polls, and get somewhere around 180-190 seats," Chodankar told PTI Videos.
