Liberation Day celebrated sans festivity in Puducherry due to Covid-19

The celebration of the 58th Liberation Day of Puducherry was held Sunday without festivity because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy unfurled the tricolour at a memorial at Kizhoor, near here. Kishoor was the venue for the referendum through whichthe four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam under the French regime merged de facto with the Indian Union in 1954.

Narayanasamy recalled the role of freedom fighters in getting Puducherry the freedom from the foreign rule.

"The Central government has also issued the guidelines to the territorial administration to hold the celebration in a simple manner...," he said

Territorial Speaker V P Sivakolundhu and Secretary to Information and Publicity S D Sundaresan were among those who were present.

A select number of freedom fighters were felicitated.

Puducherry first became free de facto in 1954 and the Treaty of Cession inked then between the French and Indian governments was ratified in French parliament leading to de jure transfer of the French establishments in India to the Indian Union in 1962.

All the Indian legislations were extended to Puducherry in 1963.

The first election to Assembly was held in 1964 after the Legislature was constituted under the Representation of People Act.

The first elected government was installed in office with the Congress assuming power.

The late Edouard Goubert, a veteran Congress leader and freedom fighter, was the first Chief Minister of Puducherry.