Observance of silence on 30th January in the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle for India’s freedom

No.2/1/2013-Public
Government of India / Bharat Sarkar
Ministry of Home Affairs / Grih Mantralaya
North Block, New Delhi

January 15, 2013

To
The Chief Secretaries/Administrators of all
State Governments/Union Territory Administrations

Sub:- Observance of silence on 30th January in the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle for India’s freedom.

Sir/Madam,

I am directed to say that on 30th January every year, two minutes’ silence is observed at 11:00 A.M., throughout the country, in the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle for India’s freedom.

2. The following standing instructions have been laid down for observance of this day:
(i) Silence should be observed and work and movement stopped for two minutes throughout the Country at 11:00 A. M. on 30th January every year.

(ii) Wherever available, the commencement and termination of the two minutes’ silence period should be indicated by sound of siren or Army guns. To indicate the commencement of the two minutes’ silence, sirens should be sounded from 10:59 hrs till 11:00 hrs and after two minutes, all clear sirens should again be sounded from I1:02 hours till  11:03 hours. This procedure may be adopted where sirens exist.

(iii) On hearing the Signal (wherever available), all persons would stand up and observe the silence. It would be more effective if people could gather at one place for observing the silence instead of each person standing in his room or at any other place. However, no effort need be made to assemble at one place if it involves serious dislocation of work.

(iv) At places where no signal system is available, suitable instructions can be passed on to all concerned for observing the silence for two minutes at 11:00 A.M. .

3. In the past, it has been observed that while two minutes’ silence is observed in some offices, the general public goes about its occupation in the ordinary course, unmindful of the solemnity of the occasion. The State Governments/ Union territories are, therefore requested to take necessary steps to ensure that the Martyrs’ Day is observed with due solemnity and with better public participation. For this, they are requested to take the following steps:-

(i) Instructions may be issued to all educational institutions in the State/ Union Territory and Public, Sector Enterprises, under them for observance of the Martyrs’ Day with full solemnity and in a befitting manner.  Speeches and talks connected with the significance of the day, particularly mentioning the role of freedom fighters in the freedom of India may be made. The theme of talks and speeches could also deal with the duty and the moral obligation of every citizen to preserve, protect and enrich the hard-earned freedom and to promote a sense of national integration and commitment to common goals and ideals.

(ii) Field publicity units of the State/ UT may hold cultural programmes and or films documentaries with the basic themes of Indian Freedom Movement, the rote of the martyrs in the Freedom Struggle, national integration.

(iii) Various Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the State/UT may also be requested to ensure proper observance of the Martyrs’ Day by their members and affiliated associations and organisations.

Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(Shyamala Mohan)
Director to the Govt. of India .