Imphal: Braving rain, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday led a 500-metre “Har Ghar Tiranga” rally in his Singjamei constituency, calling on people from different communities to uphold their shared identity as Indian citizens and Manipuris.
The rally began at Chingamakha Luwangpokpi ground and concluded at Yumnam Leikai. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his wife, the First Lady of Manipur, as they carried the national flag and participated in the march through the rain-hit streets of the constituency.
The half-kilometre rally marked the launch of the state-wide phase of the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign, which will continue from August 9 to August 17.
Addressing the gathering, Khemchand Singh appealed for communal harmony and peaceful coexistence among the state’s different communities.
He urged people to look beyond ethnic identities and emphasised that Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities share a common identity as citizens of India and as people of Manipur.
The week-long campaign has been planned as a public participation initiative aimed at promoting national unity and patriotism across the state.
The programme will also coincide with commemorations marking the 150th anniversary of the national song “Vande Mataram”.As part of the campaign, a state-level “Vande Mataram” concert is scheduled to be held on August 12 at the MSFDS Hall.
The event is being organised in collaboration with the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA).
The campaign will also include educational programmes focused on the national flag and “Vande Mataram”. The Department of Education (S), along with the Higher and Technical Education department, will organise exhibitions at schools, colleges and public spaces across the state.
The exhibitions are aimed at engaging students and young people while highlighting the history and significance of the national flag and “Vande Mataram”.
The state government has positioned the week-long programme as a public campaign aimed at encouraging participation and reinforcing the message of unity and patriotism.