New Delhi, 12 August (H.S.): Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday flagged off a special bike rally along with Members of Parliament as part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga 2026’ campaign being organised ahead of Independence Day. The rally, organised by the Ministry of Culture, was held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’.

Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Virendra Kumar, G. Kishan Reddy and Jitendra Singh were among the MPs and other dignitaries who participated in the rally.

On the occasion, citizens were urged to participate enthusiastically in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and hoist the national flag at their homes on Independence Day as a symbol of national pride, unity and solidarity.

Addressing the gathering, Vice President Radhakrishnan said ‘Vande Mataram’ had served as one of the most powerful sources of inspiration in awakening patriotic sentiments among people during India’s struggle for independence.

He said the freedom movement united the country by rising above barriers of language, region and religion, with ‘Vande Mataram’ emerging as one of the strongest symbols of this collective national consciousness.

The Vice President also recalled the recent launch of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign at the Flag Point in Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he had hoisted the Tricolour. He noted that the location carries historic significance as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the national flag there on December 30, 1943, declaring the Andaman and Nicobar Islands free from British rule.

MPs and young participants taking part in the rally carried the Tricolour and reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s unity, integrity and nation-building efforts.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said the Tricolour was not merely the national flag but also a symbol of the aspirations, hopes and dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. She said the rally was an occasion to honour the sacrifices of freedom fighters while also celebrating the aspirations and promising future of the country’s younger generation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar