Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hoisted the National Flag at the ramparts of the Red Fort and delivered his customary ‘Address to the Nation’, the ninth consecutive time he is doing so.
He started his address to the nation by congratulating the countrymen on the completion of 75 years of independence which is being celebrated in the country under the banner of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
“I congratulate all Indians and those who love India on this Independence Day. It is a day to step towards a new direction with a new resolve.”
PM Modi said, “Our flag is flying high across the world and I wish all Indians across the world a Happy Independence Day. This is a historic day, a new day.”
Wearing a traditional tri-coloured motif safa (headgear) with a long trail, the Indian PM arrived at Red Fort after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his samadhi at Rajghat and was received by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State Defence Ajay Bhatt.
Beginning his speech at the Red Fort marking India’s 75th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the “architects of free India” who significantly contributed to India’s freedom struggle.
“During our freedom struggle, there was not one year where our freedom fighters did not face brutality and cruelty. Today is the day when, as we pay them our respects, we need to remember their vision and dream for India,” PM Modi said while addressing the nation from the Red Fort for the ninth consecutive time.
“Our country is grateful to Gandhiji, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Ramprasad Bismil, Rani Laxmi Bai, Subash Chandra Bose, and all other freedom fighters who shook the foundations of the British Empire. We salute not only those who fought for freedom but also the architects of free India such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Ram Manohar Lohia and Sardar Vallabhai Patel, amongst the many others,”
PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister also said that India has been home to great thinkers like Vivekanand, Aurobindo and Rabindranath Tagore. “Our heroes like Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Lal Bahadur Shastri fought for our independence and moulded our country,” he said.
Addressing further on this historic day, the Prime Minister said that Adivasi freedom fighters such as Birsa Munda, Tirot Singh and Alluri Sitarama Raju played a pivotal role in keeping the freedom struggle alive in every corner of India.
“This nation is thankful to Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil and our innumerable revolutionaries who shook the foundation of the British Rule,” the prime minister said.
PM Modi also recalled the contributions of the women freedom fighters of India. “Every India is filled with pride when they remember the strength of the women of India, be it Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Chennamma, Begun Hazrat Maha,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi takes aim at ‘Parivaarwaad’, ‘Bhai Bhatijawad’ (Nepotism)
Mr Modi said that there is no place for corruption in our society and that the people of the country need to come together as a society to punish those who have propagated the evil of corruption.
“Today the nation shows anger towards corruption, but not the corrupted. Until and unless, people have the mentality of penalizing the corrupt, the nation cannot progress at optimum pace,”
Prime Minster Modi said.
“Another evil we need to come together against is nepotism. We need to give opportunities to those who are talented and will work towards the progress of the nation. Talent will be the basis of a New India. To cleanse every institute of India, let’s shift our mentality from ‘Bhai Bhatijawad’ and Parivaarwad and give an opportunity to the citizens who deserve it,” said PM Modi
5 pledges ‘Panch Prans’ (Five resolves) to fulfil dreams of the country in the next 25 years
Though India is faced with numerous challenges and restrictions, the PM highlighted that the country has the ability to overcome them all for a New India.
He talked about the five pledges the country needs to focus on for the next 25 years.
“The first pran is to move forward with bigger resolves and resolve of developed India.
The second pran is to erase all traces of servitude. Even if we see the smallest things of servitude, inside us or nearby us, we have to get rid of them.
The third is to take pride in our legacy.
Four is the strength of unity for our dreams of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
The fifth pran is the duties of citizens which include the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers also.“
This is a big pranshakti for fulfilling the dreams of the country in the next 25 years.
“We have to work with the vision of accomplishing what our freedom fighters dreamt of. By 100 years of independence, for the next 25 years we need to focus on the 5 resolves – first Viksit Bharat (Developed India), second Removing every ounce of Gulami (slavery) in us, third Work on the pride for our glorious heritage, fourth. Ensuring Unity among all, fifth. Fulfilling our fundamental Duties,”
said Mr Modi
The Prime Minister said, “When dreams are big, the hard work is equally strenuous. We need to be inspired by the Sankalp and the determination of our freedom fighters who dreamt of a free India. I urge the youth to dedicate the next 25 years of their lives to the development of the nation. We will work towards even the development of the entire humanity. That is the strength of India.”
Ahead of his speech at the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the National Flag amid a 21-gun salute by the indigenously developed howitzer gun, ATAGS. This was followed by a shower of flower petals by helicopters. Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited Rajghat to pay his respects.