According to newspaper reports of the time, Republic Day was celebrated in much the same way as it is today. On 26th January, 1955, the President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, took the salute at a march past of troops, workers and school children on Delhi’s Rajpath (‘Kingsway’ in colonial times).
In those days, there was no particular ‘Chief Guest’ as is the custom today. However, there were prominent invitees who sat next to the President during the ceremonial parade. In 1955, the most prominent guest of the Government of India was the Governor-General of Pakistan, Mr. Ghulam Mohammed! I don’t think there have been any invited VIP’s from Pakistan since then (I am open to correction).
Later, at a state banquet held in his honour, the Governor-General said: ‘ Let us put an end to our disputes. We owe this as a duty to posterity not to leave them a legacy of misunderstanding and bitterness. There is no alternative to the two countries acting in a spirit of truth and sincerity without which it seems difficult for them to achieve real prosperity.’
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It might have been an extract from a speech of one of the politicians of today. Things really haven’t changed much in the half century that has passed since Mr. Ghulam Mohammed spoke those words. Where did we go wrong? Perhaps the time has come to invite Gen. Musharraf to be the Chief Guest at the next Republic Day parade!
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