Indian expatriates celebrate 65th Independence Day

Abu Dhabi/ Dubai: Indian expatriates in the UAE celebrated the 65th Indian Independence Day on Monday, saluting the tricolour at various functions organised across the country.

Scores of Indian residents gathered at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and at the Indian Consulate in Dubai in the morning to witness the flag hoisting ceremony.

M.K. Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the UAE hoisted the national flag in a ceremony at the embassy premises. He then read out the Indian President’s speech addressed to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day, after which pupils from various educational institutions performed cultural programmes.

In Dubai, Consul General Sanjay Verma unfurled the national flag at the Consulate premises. Following the reading out of the President’s speech, Verma said: “Although India was the fastest growing country in the world last year, poverty is still an issue, to eradicate which the current rate of growth will have to continue for the next 15 to 20 years.”

He stressed the importance of remaining united despite the diversities in the Indian culture. “If each one thinks there is no one better than themselves, then we will reach no where,” he said.

He also urged citizens to look beyond the scams and negative news highlighted in the media. “There is more to India than that,” he added.

Dubai-based Malhaar Choir performed patriotic songs for the crowd. The ceremony ended with a thoughtful skit by school children.

Indian President Pratibha Patil, in her Independence Day eve address to the nation called corruption “cancer”.

"There cannot be just one panacea or remedy to deal with it, but a system of transparency and accountability should be put in place at various levels, and then, effectively enforced.

It would require preventive and punitive measures, as well as adoption of rational approaches as we pursue the anti-corruption agenda,” she said.

Referring indirectly to social activist Anna Hazare’s methods, she said that there should be no effort, consciously or otherwise, that will lead to the erosion of institutional authority.