Independence Day 2020: Low-key celebrations are being held at Red Fort.
As India celebrates its 74th Independence Day, Delhi's iconic Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation, sees a low-key Independence Day celebration amid the coronavirus pandemic.
About 150 VVIP guests have been invited for the event, for which school children have not been invited this year. In addition, 500 cadets of the National Cadet Corps, or NCC, are attending the event.
Two weeks before the event, members of the Guard of Honour were told to go under self-isolation.
On Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind said in his address to the nation that India is indebted to the coronavirus warriors amid the outbreak.
"This year's Independence Day celebrations will be restrained as a deadly virus has disrupted all activities, taken huge toll," President Kovind said in his televised address to the nation on the eve of India's 74th Independence Day.
"It was a superhuman effort on part of the government to respond effectively in meeting the challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic. With these efforts, we gained control over the global epidemic and have succeeded in saving a large number of people's lives, setting an example for the whole world," he said.
Last month, the government had said in an advisory: "Due to coronavirus, the number of invitees for celebrations at the Red Fort have been reduced considerably and even the chairs for them, which are being placed in designated areas, will be placed at a distance of six feet," a senior officer told NDTV.
Across India, more than 24 lakh have been affected due to the pandemic; more than 48,000 have died.
