The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day.
- Compliments to my dear countrymen on the momentous occasion of completion of 75 years of independence. Many congratulations to all! It is heartening to see our tricolour being unfurled with pride, honour and glory, not only at all the corners of India, but also worldwide by our Indians who love their country immensely.
- All the countrymen are deeply indebted to Pujya Bapu, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar, who devoted all their life on the path of duty towards the nation. The path of obligation has been their sole life path.
- This country is grateful to Mangal Pandey, Tantya Tope, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaq Ulla Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil and countless such revolutionaries of ours who shook the foundations of British rule. This nation is grateful to those brave women, be it Rani Lakshmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Durga Bhabhi, Rani Gaidinliu, Rani Chennamma, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Velu Nachiyar, who showed the mettle of women power of India.
- Today is an opportunity to pay homage to countless such great men like Dr. Rajendra Prasad ji, Nehru ji, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Deendayal Upadhyay, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Nanaji Deshmukh, Subramania Bharati who fought the war of independence and built the country after independence.
- When we talk about the freedom struggle, we cannot forget to take pride of our tribal society living in forests. There are countless names like Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Sidhu-Kanhu, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Govind Guru, who became the voice of freedom movement and inspired my tribal brothers and sisters, mothers and youth in the remotest jungles to live and die for the motherland. It has been the good fortune of the country that there have been many aspects of the freedom struggle.
- From the last year, we are witnessing how the country is celebrating the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’. It all began with Dandi Yatra in 2021. The people held programs in every district, every corner of India to enlarge the scope of goals of the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ of Independence. This was perhaps for the first time in history that such a huge and comprehensive festival for a single purpose was celebrated.
- An attempt was made in every corner of India to remember all those great men who did not find mention in history for some reasons or who were forgotten. Today, the nation found out all such heroes and great men from every corner of the country and paid tributes to them for their sacrifices. It was an opportunity to pay tributes to all these great men during the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’.
- Today, as we are celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, it is an opportunity to recall the contributions made by those who dedicated their lives for the country during the last 75 years, those who protected the country and fulfilled the country’s resolutions; be it the army personnel, police personnel, bureaucrats, public representatives, administrators of the local self-government, state administration or central administration. Today we must also recall the contributions made by the crores of citizens of the country who have done everything possible to take the country forward despite various challenges in 75 years.
- This journey of 75 years has been full of ups and downs. Amidst good and bad times our countrymen have made various achievements; they have made efforts and have not given up. They didn’t let the resolutions to get lost.
- The world was not cognizant that India has an inherent potential of strong culture and values, a bond of thoughts deeply embedded in mind and soul; and that is – that India is a mother of all democracy. And when those who have democracy pulsating in their mind walk with determination and resolve, it augurs doom for the most powerful sultanates of the world. This Mother of Democracy, our India has proven to all that we have this invaluable strength.
- In the journey of 75 years, in the midst of hopes, aspirations, ups and downs, it is with everyone’s effort that we could reach thus far. And when in 2014, my countrymen gave me this responsibility, I was the first Indian born in free India, who got the privilege to sing praises of glory to my dear countrymen from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort.
- From the farthest of latitudes and longitudes of India-east or west, north or south, ocean beds or Himalayan peaks, I have left no stone unturned to reach the corners and fulfil Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of inclusion. I have committed myself to his vision of empowering and uplifting the person sitting at the last mile.
- We are embarking on the glorious years of 75 years today on AMRIT MAHOTSAV. On the first morn of 76th year, I am filled with pride to see such an immensely endowed nation.
- Every citizen of the country wants to change things, wants to see things change, but is not ready to wait. He wants these things to happen in front of his eyes and wants to do it as part of his duty. And I believe whether it is the central government, state governments, institutions of local self-government, no matter what kind of governance system, everyone has to address this aspirational society and we cannot wait longer for their aspirations.
- Our aspiration society has waited for a long time. But now they are not ready to force their future generations to live in wait and hence the first dawn of this ‘Amrit Kaal’ has brought a huge golden opportunity for us to fulfil the aspirations of that aspiration society.
- Recently, we have seen and experienced one or two such forces and that is the collective consciousness renaissance in India. I think that this awakening of consciousness, this renaissance, is our greatest asset. Until 10th August, people would not even be aware of the power within the country. But for the last three days, the way the country has set about celebrating the journey of the Tricolour, even the leading experts of social science can’t imagine the power within my country which has been shown by the Tricolour.
- The world is looking at India proudly and with anticipation. The world has started searching for solutions to the problems on the soil of India. This change in the world, this change in the thinking of the world, is the result of our experienced journey of 75 years.
- The world has started realising where the power to fulfil the expectations actually lies. I see it as a feminine power. I see it as triple power or tri-shakti, i.e. aspiration, re-awakening and the world’s expectations. We are aware that to fulfil it, today, my countrymen have a major role in awakening this trust of the world in India.
- 130 crore countrymen after several decades of experience have shown the world the importance of a stable government, the power of political stability, policies and how trust develops in the policies. The world too is now able to understand it. And now when there is political stability, dynamism in policies, speed in decision making, ubiquity and universal trust, then everyone becomes a partner in development.
- We started our journey with the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, but gradually the countrymen have added more colours to it with Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. So, we have seen our collective power and collective potential.
- Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated with the campaign to build 75 Amrit Sarovars in every district today. People from every village are joining the campaign and offering their services. With their own efforts, the people are running a massive campaign for water conservation in their respective villages.