Republic Day 2026: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said Republic Day should not be limited to parades and speeches but should also uphold the country’s constitution.
“Republic Day must be more than parades and speeches. August 15, 1947 gave us freedom from colonial rule, but January 26, 1950 gave us the constitutional right to live this freedom with dignity, guaranteeing freedom of speech and religion and above all the right to vote,” Mufti said in a post on X.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added that the constitution has created strong institutions but some of these institutions are being used to undermine the very idea of India.
Mufti attended a Republic Day function at the Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar. “Our constitution has created strong institutions to protect these values. Today, many of these institutions are armed to undermine the very idea of India,” Mufti said in the post.
Earlier, India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a spectacular display of its cultural diversity, economic growth and military prowess, including missiles, warplanes, newly raised troops and the deadly weapon systems used during Operation Sindoor.
Republic Day 2026
European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen graced the celebrations as chief guests, representing a major diplomatic moment alongside the military parade.
Although the overarching theme of the event was 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor also found its way into the parade on Kartavya Path, the central boulevard of the country’s capital.
The parade began with President Droupadi Murma saluting shortly after she, Costa and von der Leyen arrived at the Kartavya trail in a traditional buggy, flanked by the Indian president’s bodyguards.
Today, many of these institutions have been used as weapons to undermine the very idea of India.
The audience included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, several other Union ministers, the country’s top military officials, foreign diplomats and senior officials.
