By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent
Kozhikode: The Freedom Parade of the Popular Front of India was held in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on Independence Day. The Parade was not held in Kerala as the respective district Collectors banned it in the remaining four districts also where it was not previously banned. The PFI condemned the government decision.
PFI in Tamil Nadu
The Parade was held in Mettupalayam in Tamil Nadu and Uduppi in Karnataka. The PFI organized the parade in Uduppi obtaining permission from the Karnataka High Court. The parades were held raising the slogan ‘Be the sentinel of freedom’.
The parade held at the Marhoom Meeran Ground in Mettupalayam saw 1000 uniformed cadets. PFI Tamil Nadu state president Muhammedali Jinnah received the salute of the cadets. The parade ended after a band music following the flag march of officers. The Independence Day pledge was taken under the leadership of Mr Jinnah in the public meeting that followed. PFI state secretary OMA Salam made the key-note address. CR Bhasker, human rights activist, was chief guest. The programme ended by an ifthar meet. PFI national general secretary KM Shareef addressed the parade in Uduppi. The Karnataka High Court had reportedly given permission to hold the parade in Mysore also but it could not be held as ground was not available.
PFI in Karnataka
The PFI Kerala state secretariat had decided to hold the Parade in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Wayanadu districts as these four were the only ones left without banning the parade. But as the respective Collectors in these districts also banned it citing a chance for law and order problems, the state leadership decided not to organize the parade this year. The parade was banned following the arrest of certain PFI activists in connection with the attack on a controversial professor in Ernakulam.
The PFI has been organizing the Freedom Parade for the past several years raising the slogan ‘Be the sentinel of freedom’. It was begun in Kerala and then extended to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.