NEW DELHI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has made Independence Day celebrations compulsory in all madrassas (religious education centres of Muslims).
Officials said Saturday that the state government has asked all madrassas across Uttar Pradesh to compulsorily hoist the national flag and ensure that all students sing the national anthem on Independence Day on Aug. 15.
As per the government schedule, the tricolor will be hoisted at 8 a.m. (local time) on Aug. 15, followed by the singing of the national anthem.
All the madrassas have been asked to pay tributes to the Indian freedom fighters who had laid down their lives for the independence of the country from the colonial British rulers prior to 1947, officials said.
"To prove their adherence to the government order, the madrassas have been asked to videograph the celebratory events on Independence Day," a senior official said.
Independence Day is observed every year in India on Aug. 15 as a national holiday to mark the nation's independence from Britain on the day in 1947.
On every Independence Day, the prime minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.
