English rendering of the text of PM’s address at the Public Meeting to mark the launch of 70th Freedom Year Celebrations
Today is the August Revolution day. On 8th August, Mahatma Gandhi called upon and threw challenge to the British regime to “Quit India” and on 9th August, British rulers started committing atrocities on the lovers of freedom all over the India. Today is the 75th anniversary of that red letter day. Apart from this, India is going to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its Independence on upcoming 15th August. That’s why, it is the right time to remember those who sacrificed their spring time and gave up their lives for the freedom of the country. It is only due to them that we could breathe the air of freedom. It is the sheer outcome of the renunciation, penance and sacrifice of those lovers of liberty, that today we are living in the environment of independence.
For the sake of country, our ancestors put their lives at stake, sacrificed their families and all their possessions. Being their descendents, it becomes the bounded duty of us all, 125 crore citizens, to remember all those great personalities, who got us freedom. Let us take a pledge to fulfil the great motives, for which they continued their struggle and fight against British rule. Let us bind ourselves with one or another responsibility to realize the dreams, which they had cherished about Mother India. I would also do something for the service of my nation; it should be the resolution of each and every Indian.
While we remember Tantia Bhil, Bheema Nayak, Rana Bakhtiar Singh and lakhs of other martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for country, it comes to our mind that these people didn’t live for themselves even for a moment during their lifetime. Whether they got the fortune to receive education or not, they were fully aware of the true meaning of freedom and hence to achieve it, they were fully geared up to sacrifice each and every thing they possessed.
It is my privilege that today I got the opportunity to visit Azad Temple at the birthplace of Chandra Shekhar Azad and bow my head to this great freedom fighter. Whenever we remember such great personas, we too derive an exalting inspiration to carry out something for our country. Brothers and sisters! Many of us were born in post-independence India. A large segment of Indian population has not witnessed the bondage because of being born in free India. But freedom fighters got the honour to sacrifice their lives and abandon their families for the cause of nation and hence they got immortalized in the history.
We are not blessed with such kind of good fortune. However, while commemorating the 75th anniversary of August Revolution Day and 70th anniversary of Independence Day, let us take pledge that though like Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bheema Nayak, Tantia Bhil, we may not have got a chance to lay down our lives for the nation, but at least, we have got a chance to live for the nation. The touchstone of our greatness is not just to put ourselves on the altar of Mother India, as it is beyond possibility today. However, we have got the opportunity to live and do something for our country including transformation of the lives of poor, rural, downtrodden, oppressed, exploited, deprived ones with efforts to fulfil dreams cherished by them. After 70 years of Independence, does it not become our responsibility to ensure that all villages in India at least get the electricity?
Brothers and sisters! 70 years is not a short time period, despite that thousands of Indian villages today lack even electric pole and wires thus their people are compelled to pass their lives in 18th century even in this 21st century. When after twilight every day, the world sinks into slumber; the people of these villages must have pondered on when they would be able to enjoy the electricity notwithstanding such great and invaluable sacrifices made by freedom fighters. Brothers and sisters! When my government came in power, I asked about its details and then over 18 thousands villages were detected, where people have not even experienced what is the electricity after all, that too in 21st century. Brothers and sisters! I have taken up the challenging task to electrify these 18 thousands villages. On last 15th August, I had announced from the rampart of Red fort to accomplish this task within one thousand days, a much-awaited task which unfortunately remained unfulfilled in last seven decades.
My fellow brothers and sisters! Though, the time phase of one year has still not passed, almost over fifty percent villages have witnessed installation of electric poles and wires, electricity reaching to homes and children studying there in the light of bulb. Brothers! Every government has striven for the development of country. We don’t claim that nothing has been done in 70 years by anyone. However, we are suffering from the predicament that what was expected in 70 years, couldn’t take place on the ground, and I’m to bring my country out of this.
If even today, our daughters remain deprived of education, if despite the availability of schools and teachers, the children of our villages cannot get education, it is extremely painful and disappointing. My dear countrymen! Let us resolve, while celebrating the 70th anniversary of Independence Day, to ensure that we don’t let even a child deprive from going school and availing education. We would certainly let him/her learn something. Cannot my fellow citizens take this pledge? If there are schools and teachers, at the government salary, nevertheless, we don’t encourage and motivate our children to attend to school, then my dear brothers and sisters! Our country would certainly lag behind.
The greatest strength to take forward a country is its Jan Shakti (Mass Strength). The money is of course propelling factor for individual progress. However, a nation progresses on the strength of its people, their aspirations and resolves, their dreams and hard work, their sacrifice. So, let all the 125 crore citizens make resolve to take forward the country as a Team India.
Now a days, the parliament session is going on. You must have noticed that the legislations in public interest are being issued one after another, which were in limbo since a long time. However, these laws can benefit only when these are implemented on the ground with the active and collaborative participation of Government machinery to common people.
My fellow brothers and sisters! To make this country Sujalam Suphalam (richly-watered, richly-fruited), our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives. Kashmir is heaven on the earth for our countrymen. Every Indian fosters a dream to visit Kashmir sometime. Every Indian cherishes a desire to eye feast this paradise on earth. But we can see that a handful of people in Kashmir, which is loved by India so much, a few misled and misguided people are shattering its great tradition and hospitable culture in one or other way. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of country, he had adopted the path of Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat, and we are the people walking the same road.
Today, I want to tell my brothers and sisters of Kashmir from this great and sacred birth land of Chandra Shekhar Azad that Kashmir has the same strength that has been given to other parts of India by our freedom fighters. Kashmir has the same freedom that every Indian feels. We want Kashmir to attain new heights of development. We want to empower every panchayat of Kashmir. We want to create employment opportunities for every youth of Kashmir.
I would like to congratulate the government of Jammu and Kashmir for ensuring that the Amarnath Yatra continues in a grand manner despite the malicious intentions of a few people. Lakhs of pilgrims are undertaking the Amarnath pilgrimage. Besides this, new solar-energy campaigns are being run on the soil of Ladakh. Peace, unity and harmony in Kashmir are our topmost priority. I particularly appeal to the youth of Kashmir to come forward. My friends! Let us move ahead together with the vision of restoring Kashmir into paradise of earth again.
My fellow brothers and sisters! It pains me sometimes that children and youths who should be holding laptops, volleyballs, cricket bats, school books, who ought to be playing in parks and gardens, who should have dreams in their hearts, such innocent children and youths are being handed over the tones to pelt. This may benefit some people’s political agendas but what will happen to these innocent children of my country? Insaniyat (humanity) and Kashmiriyat cannot be allowed to be hit and damaged. The path of democracy and dialogue is always open.
We are going to celebrate the festival of freedom. I would like to appeal to the youths, who have picked up guns in the name of Maoism and militancy, that so much blood has been shed, so many innocents have been killed but has anyone gained anything? It’s time to disarm and pick up the plough. This red earth will turn green. This country will turn Sujalam Suphalam.
Brothers and sisters! Be it the J&K Government under the leadership of Mehbooba (Mufti) Ji or the Central Government in Delhi, we are jointly exploring the ways to iron out problems of the state, coming up on the path of development. But some people, who are unable to digest this development, are clinging onto the path of violence and destruction. I express profound gratitude to all the political parties of country specially the Congress that we all have made attempts to deal with the Kashmir issue in a very mature way and in a patriotic environment. Even today, all the political parties of India are speaking in unanimous voice over the Kashmir issue and are committed towards marching together in single direction. And it is the power and strength of India, with which we aim to move forward.
Kashmir wants peace and happiness. The common people of Kashmir want to make a living from the tourism. When a pilgrim goes on Amarnath Yatra, he goes to Srinagar too, and this benefits the local economy. In a few days, it will be the season for Kashmiri apples; the entire country waits to have it. My fellow brothers and sisters of Kashmir engrossed in growing these apples, your apples should reach in each nook and corner of India, your hard-grown produce should find countrywide markets and fetch money for your unremitting labour. For that, whatever help you need, to offer it, the government of India is always with you. I want to tell the doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors, farmers, traders and fruit producers, that by ensuring the smooth running of your employment, Governments of India and Jammu & Kashmir, besides all the political parties and 125 crore Indians, wish you well. They all wish your development. Whatever India has to give for your development, they are ever ready to give that. We would never let you feel any shortage of fund, however if rest of the country bears it, it will go.
My fellow brothers and sisters! We have set out with the mantra of development and memories of freedom fighters in our heart. On the soil of Kashmir too, there has been no dearth of people willing to die for the country. Brothers and sisters! From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Ram Setu, Himachal, this entire Hindustan stood united to fulfil the dreams of achieving independence. Today, the need of the hour is for all of us to work together as a nation with a common dream and resolve to set a path and take the nation to newer heights.
In days to come, Tiranga Yatra-s are to be held all across the country. This tricolour flag binds us together, reminds us the brave sacrificers and inspires us to rewrite the destiny of India. What can be the greater source of inspiration for us all than this national flag? Through this tricolour, I envision a tide of patriotism engulfing each village, city and street of nation on the 70th anniversary of Independence Day, so that an atmosphere of trust to do something for country is created, if there is not the opportunity to die for country sake. My dear countrymen! I firmly believe that entire India would move ahead will full vigour and vitality to ignite a new spirit, generate a new enthusiasm and awaken a new consciousness in the country on the 70th celebration of Independence Day.
Today, I got the opportunity to be here, for the same, my heartfelt congratulations particularly to the Government of Madhya Pradesh, district officials and all the junior and senior officials of the government. While getting off here, I saw water logging all around and in this adverse circumstances, how you would have worked, just its imagination causes immense anxiety in my heart. I feel concern lest anyone of you might fall sick, as you would have burnt the midnight oil, that’s how this could be possible. However, Chandra Shekhar Azad is such an inspirational figure for us all, that you may have set aside your sleep, worked even in rain with least possibility of food in this small place. And it is what the exclusive strength of this nation.
To all these people having done such unremitting toil on this birthplace of Chandra Shekhar Azad for country sake, I offer my congratulations from the bottom of my heart. I too bow to Janta Janardan (Public as the representative to God), as I can see you all standing in the water. With no sign of land even on remote horizon, your visit to remember the freedom fighter of India remaining stood in water for so long time, what can be the more moving and greater tribute to Chandra Shekhar Azad than this?
Today, Chandra Shekhar Azad has played an instrumental role in making the salutation paid by you, arrived here suffering such troubles, to reach lakhs of freedom fighters of India, who passed their lives in the Cellular Jail of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who went laughing to the gibbet, who spent their entire youth in the prisons, who echoed the mantra of independence while carrying our social welfare activities throughout the life, who followed the path of non-violence and armed-revolution as well as all the great personalities, owing to which we have got this freedom. My lots of salutations and thanks to you all! Thank you very much.
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(Release ID :153121)