Maha foundation day celebrations subdued due to COVID-19

Mumbai, May 1 () The 60th foundation daycelebrations of the state of Maharashtra were subdued onFriday due to the coronavirus pandemic withGovernorB SKoshyari hoisting the national flag at the Raj Bhavan hereinstead of Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, where the ceremonyis annually held.

The governor unfurled the tricolour at the Raj Bhavanthis morning, after which the national anthem was sung.Officers and staff of the Raj Bhavan, personnel of the MumbaiPolice and the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) were present.No ceremonial parade was held on the occasion.

In a separate ceremony held at the Mantralaya, thestate secretariat, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray unfurledthe national flag and garlanded the portraits of ChhatrapatiShivaji Maharaj, B R Ambedkar, Rajmata Jijabai.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, state Chief SecretaryAjoy Mehta and others were present on the occasion.

Thackeray himself drove his car from his residence'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra and took a stop at HutatmaChowk before proceeding to Mantralaya.

He paid floral tributes at the martyrs' memorial atHutatma Chowk built in honour of the 105 members of theSamyukta Maharashtra Samiti, who lost their lives whilefighting for a separate Maharashtra state.

This is for the first time that the flag-hoistingfunctions on the state's foundation day were held at ShivajiPark and Mantralaya.

As per the general practice, the chief ministerhoiststhe tricolour at Mantralaya on the Independence Day,while the governor hoists the flag at Raj Bhavan in Pune onthat day.

Governor hoists the tricolor at Shivaji Park onRepublic Day and Maharashtra Day.

The present-day Maharashtra came into being on thisday in 1960. MRNP NP