Nation sad over Wayanad landslides, but time to move forward: CM Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that while everyone in the country was sad regarding the Wayanad landslides that claimed over 200 lives, it was time to live and move forward for the survival of the state. Vijayan, speaking after hoisting the national flag at the Central Stadium here on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of the country, also said that even as India excelled in various sectors since its independence in 1947, the scientific awareness in the country was being damaged and superstitions, harmful customs, and outdated rituals were making a comeback. Referring to the landslides in Wayanad, the CM said that Kerala and the country were celebrating the independence day in a time of grief following the disaster. "But, we cannot remain sad. We need to live and move forward for the survival of the state. So, the independence day, this year, should give impetus to the joint activities that ensure the state's survival," he said. The Marxist veteran a