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Minister calls for isolating divisive forces in the State

Staff Reporter

Seeks people's cooperation to implement Government policies

TAKING SALUTE: Minister for Tourism and Devaswom K.C. Venugopal at the Republic Day parade at the Police Parade Ground in Kannur on Thursday.

KANNUR: Minister for Tourism and Devaswoms K.C. Venugopal, on Thursday, urged people to isolate extremist, casteist and communal elements who sought to create unrest in society and reverse the progress achieved by the country after Independence.

Delivering the Republic Day speech after taking the salute at a parade to mark the event on the Police Parade Ground here on Thursday, Mr. Venugopal called for strengthening the secular heritage of the country to counter moves to divide people by stoking caste and communal passions. Extremism of any kind was not an answer to social problems, he added.

The Minister sought the cooperation of people for successfully implementing the Union and the State Government programmes for poverty eradication and social justice. Although the country had achieved economic growth and social progress over the decades after Independence, poverty and inequality still remained a problem. The Union and the State Governments had been implementing social welfare schemes to help the poor and the weaker sections, as well as women, he added.

Mr. Venugopal said more had to be done to address the problem of unemployment in the country. The Government was giving importance to the development of the State, especially of the backward Kannur and Kasaragod districts, he added.

Contingents of the Armed Reserve Police, the local police, women police personnel, the National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, Junior Red Cross and the Defence Security Corps band troupe participated in the parade. District Collector K.S. Srinivas and Superintendent of Police Mathew Polycarp were present.

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