New Delhi: As India is celebrating 75 years of Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the Tricolour at the Red Fort amid a 21-gun salute by the indigenously developed howitzer gun, ATAGS on Monday.
In his I-Day speech, PM Modi remembered and acknowledged the contribution of freedom fighters. He mentioned even India's first Prime Minister Nehru, but ignored to mention Maulana Abul Kalam Aad, India's first Education Minister.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi said that the citizens are thankful to Bapu, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Babasaheb Ambedkar, "Veer Savarkar" and others who sacrificed their lives on the path of duty.
"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 British Rule," he added.
Prime Minister Modi further said that it was a historic day for India as it takes a new path, new pledge with renewed strength. "Every Indian is filled with pride when they remember the strength of the women of India, be it Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Chennamma, Begum Hazrat Maha," he added.
The Prime Minister said that India's strength is in its diversity. "India is the mother of democracy that can cause trouble for even the biggest of sultanates."
"Our 75 years of journey has been full of ups and downs and the citizens never gave up. Despite challenges faced post-Independence, nothing could hamper the zeal of Indian citizens... This soil has power. Despite many challenges, India did not stop, did not bow down and kept moving forward," he asserted.
He said that the hundreds year of slavery has hurt India but due to conviction the people, the nation achieved the independence. "I have tried to empower the people that was the goal of Mahatma Gandhi," said the Prime Minister.
PM @narendramodi hoists the National Flag on the Red Fort. #IndiaIndependenceDay #IndependenceDay2022 #IDayWithAIR pic.twitter.com/o9zLWU2AIi— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 15, 2022
PM @narendramodi hoists the National Flag on the Red Fort. #IndiaIndependenceDay #IndependenceDay2022 #IDayWithAIR pic.twitter.com/o9zLWU2AIi
"India is an aspirational society where changes are being powered by a collective spirit. The people of India want positive changes and also want to contribute to them. Every government has to address this aspirational society," he added.
A day after the BJP blamed first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the partition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned his name in his speech while paying tributes to the freedom fighters who fought for the nation during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
Prime Minister Modi said:
"We should remember those who fought for Independence and built the nation -- Dr Rajendra Prasad, Nehru ji, Sardar Patel, "Shyama Prasad Mookerjee", Lal Bahadur Shastri, "Deendayal Upadhyaya", Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Vinoba Bhave, Nanaji Deshmukh, Subramaniam Bharati -- it is the day to bow before such great people."
Among the Muslim Freedom Fighters who got mention in PM Modi's Independence Day speech are just two - Ashfaqullah Khan, Begum Hazrat Mehal.
He said the nation is also thankful to revolutionaries like Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan, Begum Hazrat Mehal, Ram Prasad Bismil who shook the very foundation of British Rule.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on Monday also said that India has entered the phase to fight corruption and the corrupt.
He said that he needs the blessings of 130 crore people to fight this menace. He said while some people don't have a place to live, there are some who don't have a place to keep the looted money.
"Two big challenges we face today -- corruption and 'Parivaarvaad' or nepotism. Corruption is hollowing the country like a termite. We have to fight it. We have to also raise awareness against nepotism (Parivaarwaad) to realise the strength of our institutions, and eradicate from the system and to take the country forward on the basis of merit," he said.
Modi said:
"In the past government, the people have looted banks and run away but now their properties are being confiscated and there is a process to bring them back and get all the money."
He said the nation will not tolerate corruption, but there should be no place for corrupt people as well. "Sometimes kindness is created for those who have been convicted by courts which is not right. This should not be done."
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