New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) The 79th Independence Day was celebrated across the country on Friday with heads of governments recounting the achievements, challenges and plans of the respective states and Union Territories (UTs) as they hoisted the national flag.

The chief ministers of at least two non-NDA governments -- Karnataka and Tamil Nadu -- aired their grievances against the BJP-led Centre on the day.

In their speeches, the chief ministers and governors of the states and UTs spoke about the efforts being made to bring law and order under control, and check terrorism, militancy and Naxalism. They also expressed gratitude to the freedom fighters and the armed forces, while recounting development plans.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah delivered a forceful Independence Day speech, criticising the practice of linking terror attacks to the UT's political future and asserted that Pakistan should not be allowed to influence it through terrorism.

In his first speech since Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded to a UT, he announced a signature campaign would be launched to press the demand for restoration of statehood.

J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hoisted the national flag at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar and paid tributes to freedom fighters and bravehearts of police, Army and Central Armed Police Forces. He also paid homage to the citizens who lost their lives in the cloudburst in Kishtwar a day ago.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah alleged that the state is facing discrimination in the distribution of resources from the Centre. Delivering his address at the Independence Day celebrations in Bengaluru, he said, "Karnataka is facing discrimination in the distribution of resources from the Centre. There is growing concern that constitutional bodies like the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, CBI and others are not working to uphold the true values of democracy and cooperative federalism as enshrined in the Constitution." In his Independence Day address at Fort St George in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said while states need additional powers gradually, their rights in key sectors like education are usurped.

The power distribution between the Centre and states is clearly defined in the Constitution so that the Union and the state governments serve the people together. However, during the past 75 years, due to changes in the political arena, it is regrettable that the role of state governments, as regards their share in power, is on the decline continuously, he alleged.

"During the past few years, we have seen that the Centre is making several efforts to take away the rights of state governments in several sectors," Stalin said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pledged to provide government jobs and other employment opportunities to one crore youth in the state "in the coming years". He was addressing a gathering after unfurling the tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan on Independence Day in Patna. Bihar goes to polls later this year.

Slamming the previous YSRCP Government for allegedly pushing the state into debts, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the "Super Six" set of poll promises made by the TDP-led NDA in the state was a superhit.

From Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and other dignitaries to common people, Independence Day was celebrated with patriotism and fervour across Telangana on Friday.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi attended Independence Day celebrations at various places in the city, including Yakutpura, Mughalpura, Musheerabad and Madina X Roads.

The opposition DMK on Friday boycotted the 'At Home' reception hosted by Puducherry Lt Governor K Kailashnathan at Raj Nivas during the 79th Independence Day celebrations here. The reason for the boycott was not immediately known.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hoisted the national flag at the Parade Ground in Dehradun to mark the 79th Independence Day. Earlier, he also hoisted the national flag at his official residence and expressed his gratitude to the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP and all the agencies engaged in the challenging rescue operations underway in disaster-ravaged areas of Dharali and Harshil.

He said Uttarakhand distinguished itself as the first state in Independent India to implement a Uniform Civil Code, the country's toughest anti-copying law, an anti-riot law and a strict land law.

He said the state cabinet recently approved bringing legislation to amend the state's freedom of religion Act which would make the anti-conversion law even more stringent.

In the Northeast, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla asserted the overall law and order situation in the state has improved "tremendously" in recent months and it is stable and under control.

The northeastern state, which is under President's Rule, has made remarkable progress across various sectors from social welfare, infrastructure development to economic empowerment, said Bhalla.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government is on the way to eradicating child marriage from the state by 2026. Hoisting the tricolour in Guwahati, he said there has been a gradual decline of all forms of crimes in recent years.

The 79th Independence Day was also celebrated in other states and UTs, including Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In her maiden Independence Day speech, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta pledged to rejuvenate the Yamuna river and provide world-class infrastructure.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while hoisting the national flag at the UP Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow, hailed the success of Operation Sindoor. He also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on this occasion and hoisted the national flag at his official residence in Lucknow.

Asserting that she will continue her battle to uphold the honour of every Indian, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Bengal once rose against the atrocities of foreign rulers and will keep fighting against any injustice, adding she was sure that the people would be by her side in this battle.

Addressing the Independence Day function at the Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he has given "absolute power" to the police to take action against those involved in crimes against women.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hoisted the national flag in Jodhpur and Bhopal respectively and lauded Operation Sindoor.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced several new development-centric initiatives, including Regional Vibrant Summits with a focus on towns and villages, and 'Agenda 2035', a roadmap for transforming the state, during the state-level Independence Day function held at Porbandar city, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took part in the Independence Day function in Panaji and said his dispensation was committed to regularising native Goans' houses built on government or community lands through various laws. PTI TEAM KSS KSS