Narendra Modi addresses India on Independence Day, says commitment to reforms due to priority to nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unfurled the national flag for the 11th time in a row from the Red Fort on Independence Day, and asserted that India’s 140 crore citizens can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed country if they walk shoulder to shoulder with united resolve.

He said his government has worked to break the mindset of living with status quo by rolling out big reforms aimed at changing the lives of the middle class and the poor. The commitment to reforms is the blueprint for growth and is not borne of any political compulsion but the dedication to nation first, he said. In this context, Modi noted the growth of the banking sector, which he added has powered the progress in every sector.

In his address on the country’s 78th Independence Day, Modi said it is a day to pay tribute to the countless people who made sacrifices and struggled for the country’s freedom. “The country is indebted to them,” he said.

Modi also paid condolences to families who lost their loved ones in recent national disasters. The surge in cases of such disasters is a matter of concern, he added.

Addressing the nation on Independence Day. https://t.co/KamX6DiI4Y

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2024

His first Independence Day address of his third term takes him past Manmohan Singh, who unfurled the tri-colour 10 times from the ramparts of Red Fort during 2004-2014, and places him behind Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who did it 17 and 16 times, respectively.

सभी देशवासियों को स्वतंत्रता दिवस की ढेरों शुभकामनाएं। जय हिंद!

Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2024

Before reaching Red Fort, he paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial.

Modi said 140 crore citizens of India can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed India if they walk shoulder to shoulder with united resolve. There may be challenges and shortages of resources, but people united in their goal can overcome them to achieve their target, he added.

Speaking of his goal for ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, he said people from all corners of the country and communities have offered suggestions for the agenda. He recounted many of these ideas — including reform in justice system, campaign for capacity building, developing India’s traditional systems of medicine.

He cited his government’s success in taking electricity to unelectrified areas, piped water to crores of homes, expanding ‘vocal for local’ programme and boosting renewable energy to assert that it has infused a new confidence and consciousness among people.

The nation feels proud when the world wants to learn from its achievements in the fintech sector, Modi said.

Citizens giving suggestions to make India a developed nation by 2047: Modi

Suggestions ranging from making India “skill capital” of the world to judicial reforms have been given by citizens for making India a developed nation by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.

“’Viksit Bharat 2047′ are not mere words, they are reflection of resolve and dreams of 140 crore people,” Modi said addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 78th Independence Day.

“Suggestions have been collected from citizens, and crore of people gave suggestions for Developed India 2047. The dreams of every citizen and their confidence is reflected in those suggestions,” the Prime Minister said.

“Some people gave the suggestion of making India the ‘skill capital’ of the world, some suggested making it a global hub of manufacturing,” he added.

जय हिन्द!

PM Shri @narendramodi Ji unfurls the Tricolour at the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of 78th Independence Day.#IndependenceDay2024 pic.twitter.com/FAXuWgXXf1

— Anuja Kapur (@anujakapurindia) August 15, 2024

“Some people expressed concern over delay in justice, and they said there is a requirement for judicial reform.”

Other suggestions included making Indian universities global, having a ‘global media’, making skilled Indian youth the first preference for the world, making India self-reliant in every aspect, and greenfield cities.

“Some even suggested India should have a space station, some said traditional Indian medicine should be promoted, while some people said India should become the third biggest economy soon,” he added.