India News | Pondy to Celebrate De Facto Merger Day with Indian Union Tomorrow

Puducherry, Oct 31 (PTI) Chief Minister N Rangasamy will unfurl the national flag at Gandhi Thidal here on Tuesday to mark the 68th anniversary of the 'de facto merger' of Puducherry and the other constituent regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam (which were French establishments) with the Indian Union.

Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Chief Minister Rangasamy, Home Minister A Namassivayam and ministers extended their greetings to the people of Puducherry on the eve of the anniversary of the de facto merger.

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In her message, Soundararajan greeted the people saying that the Union Territory has made stupendous progress since the merger and contributed a lot for national integration.

The territorial government has declared Tuesday a holiday for all offices and institutions.

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Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam became part of India after transfer of power on November 1, 1954 through a referendum held in Kizhoor village near here on October 18 that year.

With a majority of those who exercised franchise in the referendum opting for merger with the Indian Union, the then French and Indian governments signed a Treaty of Cession and after its ratification in French parliament, Puducherry and the other regions merged with the Indian Union de jure in 1962.

Puducherry became a Union Territory in 1963.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)