74th Republic Day was celebrated with gaiety and fervour across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday with a state-level function being organised in Shimla where Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar unfurled the national flag.
The event took place as a reminder to the world that Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir were persecuted and forced to flee their homeland in 1989- 1990 and 33 years later, targeted Hindu killings are still taking place.
The Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers exchanged sweets at the International Border on the occasion of the 74th Indian Republic Day in a cordial atmosphere here on Thursday.
The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) informed the Congress that it would not be able to take part in the concluding event of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar on January 30 as it has planned another event on that day.
The Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir was seen patrolling at the Army's last post at an altitude of 7,200 feet amid heavy snowfall for the security of the country on the Eve of the 74th Republic Day on Wednesday.
Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir achieved a great boost during recent years and registered a record tourist footfall of 1.62 crore for the first time in the history of 75 years of Independent India.
Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday accorded the sanction for the establishment of 'Terror Monitoring Group' and created twenty different posts under the squad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Jammu for a public rally on April 24 last year. Amid heightened security for the visit, inputs of a likely fidayeen attack on the rally were received.