English rendering of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the Nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 73rd Independence Day
Our country needs doctors in huge numbers along with robust health facilities. To fulfil this requirement we need new laws, upgraded infrastructure, new thinking and create new opportunities to motivate the youth to take up the medical profession. In view of this, we have formulated laws and taken important steps to bring transparency in Medical Education.
What should 21st Century India look like?How fast should it move? How extensively, should it work, what heights should it strive for- we are taking steps one after the other by preparing a roadmap for the next five years, keeping all these things in mind.In 2014, It was a new beginning for me. Prior to the election in 2013-2014, I travelled across the country and tried to understand the feelings of our countrymen. But everyone had disappointment written on their face, everyone had apprehensions. People used to wonder if the country could change at all. Can the country change with the change of Government? A sense of hopelessness had percolated into the minds of the common man. This was the result of their experience over a long period- hopes did not last long, they sank into the depths of despair very fast. But when in 2019, after five years of hard work, with only dedication to the common people, only my country in my heart, only my millions of countrymen in my heart - with this feeling we kept on moving, dedicated every moment for that. When we ran for the office again in 2019, I was surprised. The Mood of the country changed. Despair had changed into hope, dreams got linked to resolutions, accomplishment was visible and the common man had only one determination that he can change his country. Yes it was the feeling that We too can change our country and that we cannot stay behind. This feeling of the 130 crore citizens, this echoing of emotions gives us new the strength, new faith.
We had started with the mantra Sabka Saath- Sabka Vikas , but within five years, the countrymen have painted the entire mood of the nation with the color of Sabka Vishwas. The Trust and confidence that everyone reposed in us over the last five years will inspire us to serve the nation with more vigour.I have seen in the recent elections and I had felt then that this is an election in which no politician was contesting, no political party was contesting, neither Modi was contesting nor were friends of Modi contesting the election. It was the people of India who were contesting the election, 130 Crore countrymen were contesting the election. They were contesting for their own dreams. The real nature of Democracy could be seen in this election.
My dear countrymen, the solution to the problems - along with the period of dreams, determination and accomplishment - we have to walk together now. It is evident that sense of self-reliance develops when problems get solved. Solution to problems encourages speed of self-reliance. When self-reliance occurs, self-esteem develops automatically and self-esteem has very strong potential. The power of self-respect is greater than anything and when there is a solution, resolution, capability, self-respect, then nothing can come in the way of success and today the country, with the feeling of that self-respect.And today, with that self-respect we are determined to move forward to touch new heights of success. When we are trying to solve problems we should not think in isolation. There will be difficulties. Half-hearted efforts made with the aim of earning applause will not help in fulfilling the dreams of the country. We have to strive to remove problems from their roots.
You would have seen how our Muslim daughters and sisters used to live in fear with the sword of Triple Talaq dangling over their heads. Even if they were not victims of Triple Talaq, they were constantly haunted by the fear that they could be subjected to it anytime. Many Islamic countries abolished this evil practice long time back. But for some reason we were hesitant to give our Muslim mothers and sisters their due rights. If, we can abolish Sati Pratha, if we can enact laws to end female foeticide, if we can raise our voice against child marriage, if we can take strong steps against dowry system in this country, then why can’t we raise our voice against Triple Talaq? We have taken this important decision in the spirit of India’s democracy and constitution, to respect the thinking of Baba Saheb Ambedkar so that our Muslim sisters get equal rights; so that new confidence is generated in them; so that they also become active participants in the India’s development journey. Such decisions are not for political gains. They guarantee a lasting protection to our mothers and sisters.
Similarly, I will give another example. What was the reason behind revocation of Article 370 and 35A? This is the hallmark of this government. We do not avoid problems, nor do we let them fester. There is no time to delay or neglect problems. The work that was not done in the last 70 years has been accomplished within 70 days after this new government came to power. The abrogation of Article 370 and 35A has been carried out in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha by two-thirds majority. This means that everyone wanted this decision, but perhaps they were waiting for somebody to initiate the same and carry it forward. I have come to accomplish the task assigned to me by my countrymen. I work selflessly. We are moving forward with re-organization of Jammu and Kashmir. For 70 years every government made efforts to do something. But the desired results were not achieved, and when desired results are not achieved, there is a need to think afresh and take new steps. It is our responsibility to see that the aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh get fulfilled. It is our collective responsibility to give new wings to their dreams. This responsibility has to be shouldered by all 130 crore of my countrymen. To meet this commitment we have made endeavours to remove whatever hurdles were there in the way. The system that prevailed over the past seventy years had aggravated separatism and given birth to terrorism. It had encouraged dynastic rule and in a way strengthened the foundations of corruption and discrimination. We have to make efforts so that the women of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh get their rights. We have to make efforts so that my dalit brothers and sisters living there, get the rights which they have been deprived of so far. The rights enjoyed by the tribal people of India must also be available to my tribal brothers and sisters of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. There are several such communities, like Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis, Sippies or Balties- all such communities must be empowered with political rights. It is surprising that in Jammu & Kashmir there were legal restrictions on Safai Karamchari brothers and sisters. Their dreams were trampled upon. Now, we have freed them from such shackles. When India was partitioned, crores of people had to leave behind their ancestral homes for no fault of theirs. Those who settled down in Jammu & Kashmir got neither human rights, nor citizenship rights. There are people from hill regions living in Jammu &Kashmir. We intend to take steps for their welfare as well.My dear countrymen, peace and prosperity of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh can be an inspiration for India. They can greatly contribute to India’s development. We need to make efforts to bring back their glorious past. The new system that has come into being after the recent step will create facilities that will directly benefit the people of the State. Now, anybody in Jammu and Kashmir, like the rest of Indians, can reach out to the Government in Delhi. There will be no hurdles in between. We have put in place such a system.
Our recent action to strike down Article 370 and 35 A has been welcomed by the entire country and also by people from all political parties of the country, without exception. Some have openly supported us while others give their tacit support. But some in the corridors of power, in a bid to take mileage from vote-bank politics, have been talking in favour of Article 370. The country demands an answer from those speaking in favour of Article 370, that if Article 370 and 35-A were so important.If Article 370 was so crucial then why did ruling parties not make it permanent in the last 70 years despite having a majority? Why was it kept temporary? If there was so much of conviction, you should have moved ahead and made it permanent. This means that you knew all along that the decision taken was not right. But you did not have the courage and the will to amend it. Concerns about political future kept coming up. For me, the country’s future is everything, political future has no meaning.Our constitution makers and great personalities like Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel took these bold and important decisions even during those difficult times, keeping the goals of national integration and political unification in mind. The exercise towards national integration was a successful one, but some difficulties have been faced because of Article 370 and 35A.
Today, as I address the nation from the Red Fort, I can proudly say that every Indian today can speak of One Nation, One Constitution and we are trying to fulfil Sardar Sahibs dream of Ék Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. So we must develop such systems which strengthen the country’s unity and serve as a cementing force, and this process must go on continuously. It should not be merely an interim measure but a continuous process. Through GST we have fulfilled the dream of One Nation One Tax. Similarly, we successfully achieved the dream of One Nation, One Grid in the energy sector recently.Likewise, we have developed the system of One Nation, One Mobility card and currently there is a nationwide debate about holding simultaneous elections in the country. This discussion should be taken up in a democratic manner. We will have to add many such new ideas to realize our dreams of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
In the coming days about 1.5 lakh wellness centres and health centres will have to be set up in rural areas. Setting up one medical college for every three Lok Sabha constituencies will make us realize the dream of our youth becoming doctors. Houses for more than 2 crore poor people have to be built. We have to supply potable drinking water to 15 crore houses in rural areas, construct 1.25 km roads in rural areas. Each village has to be provided with Broad Band connectivity and connected with optical fibre network, also a network of more than 50000 new start-ups has to be raised. We need to move forward with so many dreams. And, therefore, brothers and sisters, we the countrymen have to collectively take our country forward with these dreams in mind and for this 75 years of independence is a very big motivation.
130 crore countrymen have their dreams, their challenges. Each dream and each challenge has its own importance. It is not that some is more important and the other is less important. It may not be possible for me to delve at all the topics during this speech. So, whatever I could speak today and whatever I could not speak are equally important. If we move forward, we should keep in mind that we have to take our country forward.75 years of Independence, 150 years of Gandhi and 70 years of India’s Constitution has been completed for realising the dream of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. We are also celebrating 550th Parv of Guru Nanak Dev ji this year. Let us move ahead following the teachings of Baba Saheb Ambedker and Guru Nanak Dev ji as we have to build a better society and a better country as per the expectations of the whole world.
My dear brothers and sisters, we know that our targets are as high as the Himalayas, our dreams are even more than the innumerable stars. But we also know that even skies cannot check the flight of our courage.This is our resolve, our potential is beyond measure just like the Indian Ocean. Our efforts are holy like the flowing Ganges and are ever continuing. Above all these things our values draw inspiration from our ancient culture and the penance of our sages and saints. The sacrifice and hard work of our countrymen is our motivation.Come on, let us move ahead to build a new India keeping these ideals and resolves in mind. Fulfilling our responsibilities with a new confidence and a new resolve to build a new India should be our mantra. Let us together take our country forward with this single expectation, I once again bow to everyone who lived, fought, died for the country.