NEW DELHI, 16 January 2021, (TON): India will have its 26^th January Republican Day parade without chief guest as United Kingdom’s Premier Boris Johnson has declined to visit Indian aimed atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir and violations of human rights in imposing farm laws in Punjab.

Meanwhile, Indian officials at Prime Minister’s House said that the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Indian to attend Indian Republican Day ceremonies as chief guest has been cancelled in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

TON reporter in London, however, revealed that cancelation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit to India was in view of a new mutant strain of Covid-19 which is claimed to have potential in creating havoc in the United Kingdom that led to the British Prime Minister announcing a nationwide lockdown to contain the spiraling infections.

Meanwhile, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag  Srivastava said at a media briefing “Due to the global COVID- 19 situation, it has been decided that this year we will not have a foreign head of state or head of government as the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations”.

The prestigious Republic Day celebrations, which used to be held at Red Fort will now held between Vijay Chowk to the National Stadium at New Delhi. The administration in New Delhi disclosed that in addition to Armed Forces officials, 25,000 people have been issued invitation cards who will witness the parade. In addition due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic each participating contingent’s strength has been reduced from 144-150 to 96-102 personnel.