Independence Day 2024 Highlights: Can feel the outrage over atrocities against women… state govts need to take it seriously, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar and other leaders attended the 'At Home' reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of Independence Day at Rashtrapati Bhawan today. 

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar and other leaders attended the 'At Home' reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of #IndependenceDay at Rashtrapati Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/pkiV41DFqC

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024

On 78th Independence Day, Director General of Delhi Prisons Satish Golcha announced the grant of remission to more than 1,160 convicts.

In addition, he revealed the prisons have installed 1,248 additional face recognition system-fitted CCTV cameras to enhance the safety of inmates in the prisons.

According to a statement from Delhi Prisons, Tihar, Golcha announced the special remission for convicts on Thursday after hoisting the tricolour on the premises.

A total of 1,160 eligible convicts were granted remission ranging from 15 to 25 days based on their conduct during their time in prison, it said.

Addressing the staff, Golcha said the new criminal laws have been implemented in all the jails of Delhi Prisons and work is at an advanced stage regarding the online production of inmates before courts.

Additionally, the Prison Department is reinforcing its focus on the theme of 'Correctional Philosophy' by emphasising education and skill development programmes for inmates, he said. (PTI)

The Indian Embassy in Nepal on Thursday disbursed dues worth Nepali Rs 55 million to the widows and next of kin of deceased Gorkha soldiers who served in the Indian Armed Forces as it celebrated India's 78th Independence Day.

The celebrations at the embassy began with the hoisting of the national flag by India's Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava who at the ceremony, apart from dues, also handed over Nepali Rs 125.5 million, covering benefits under the Army Group Insurance (AGI) programme, to the widows and next of kin of 107 deceased members of the Indian Armed Forces.

The Nepali Rs 125.5 million payment under the AGI programme included death-in-service benefits, extended insurance benefits, and AGI maturity payments for 2024, an Indian Embassy statement said. (PTI)

Nearly 1,000 people of Indian heritage gathered at the High Commission of India here on Thursday to celebrate the 78th Independence Day, with music, dance and patriotic chants.

Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, marked the beginning of the event by unfurling the tricolour followed by the National Anthem echoing across India House in Aldwych.

He then read excerpts from President Droupadi Murmu's address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day -- a custom at the annual festive gathering.

“It's always a delight and, in a sense, a privilege to host as many of our expatriate citizens, as well as, friends of India from the overseas citizens community here in London. Today's turnout was genuinely more than we had expected,” Doraiswami told PTI.

“It all worked really well. People were in really good spirits, and I think the President's message hit the right tone with its discourse about equity, inclusion and the idea of an India where the growth of political democracy is linked with the strengthening of social democracy. A very good message to land today and I think the audience really enjoyed it,” he said. (PTI)

Congress on Thursday said that making Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi "sit in the fifth row" at the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "pettiness" and lack of respect for democratic traditions.

The opposition party's attack came after sources involved in organising of the event said all seating arrangements were done "as per the table of precedence". They said it was decided this year that "Paris Olympics medal winners" would be honoured as special guests at the Independence Day celebrations.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that Prime Minister Modi is a person with a "petty mindset" and he keeps giving proof of that himself.

"It is futile to expect big things from small-minded people. Narendra Modi certainly showed his frustration by making Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sit in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations, but this does not make any difference to Rahul Gandhi and he will keep raising issues of the people as he has been doing," she said in a video statement on X.

"However, it shows that you and your government do not have any respect for democracy, democratic traditions and the Leader of Opposition," he said. (PTI)

Emphasising the importance of freedom and liberty, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Thursday noted that the recent events in neighbouring Bangladesh remind the value of these rights.

Speaking to mediapersons after hoisting the national flag in the Supreme Court premises here, Chandrachud said Independence Day reminds us of the duties the country's people have towards each other and the nation in realising all the values of the Constitution.

"What is happening today, say, in Bangladesh is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us. It is very easy to take freedom and liberty for granted but it is important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are," he said.

The CJI's remarks came amid mounting concerns in India over widespread incidents of attacks on the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled on August 5 following weeks of violent unrest.

CJI Chandrachud said many lawyers gave up their legal profession and dedicated themselves to the cause of the nation.

"On the occasion of Independence Day, I wish all of you, members of our journalistic core, a very happy Independence Day. Through you, I wish the rest of the nation, particularly those connected with law, a very happy Independence Day," he told reporters. (PTI)

Former President Ram Nath Kovind attended Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi today. "My Independence Day wishes to all Indians and I appeal to everyone to keep giving your participation to make this country 'Viksit Bharat' Kovind said. 

#WATCH | Delhi: Former President Ram Nath Kovind attends #IndependenceDay celebrations pic.twitter.com/hviLK9f2EH

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Thursday said the rulers of today are encouraging divisive thinking and marking the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day with the intention of spreading hatred.

In his address at the AICC headquarters here on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Kharge slammed the RSS, saying that the Sangh Parivar promoted Britishers' divide-and-rule policy for their own benefit.

"Unity in diversity is our strength and not a weakness. Some people propagate that we got independence easily but the truth is that lakhs of people made sacrifices, left their homes and even people from well-to-do families spent time in jails," he said.

Instead of walking the path shown by them, the rulers of today are giving encouragement to divisive thinking, he said.

Last December, as parties drew the battlelines for the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he considers the women youth, farmers and the poor as the “biggest castes”, and that uplift of these four will drive development of the country.

“For me, there are four biggest castes in the country. For me, the biggest caste is the poor. For me, the biggest caste is the youth, the biggest caste is women. For me, the biggest caste is farmers,” Modi had said. “Only the uplift of these four castes will make India developed. And if we get it to these four, it means we get it to everyone,” he said. (Read More)

In an oblique defence of central agencies acting against some Opposition leaders — Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in jail while Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodiya are out on bail — Modi said citizens were tired of corruption and that he was waging a war against it.

“Every citizen is tired of corruption. We have waged a war on it and I have to pay a price for it, but there is no price to pay when it comes to the nation. My fight against the corrupt will continue,” he said. Taking what seemed a dig at the Opposition that has accused him of going after political opponents by misusing agencies for vendetta, Modi said, “Can anyone imagine that there are some people who are supporting corruption in broad daylight? This is a major challenge.”

In his I-Day speech PM Modi gave a call to bring 1 lakh youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families.

He said this initiative was aimed at fighting the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into India's polity.

In his Independence speech today, PM Modi emphasized the importance of green jobs in India's efforts to combat climate change.  

He stated that the focus of the country is now on green growth and green jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection.

The Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production and creating sustainable employment opportunities in environmental conservation and renewable energy sectors.

In his Independence speech today, PM Modi said that India must leverage its rich ancient legacy and literature to come up with Made in India gaming products.

He added that Indian professionals must lead the global gaming market, not just in playing but also in producing games, stating that Indian games should make their mark worldwide.

In his Independence Day speech on Thursday, the Prime Minister emphasized the revival of the ancient Nalanda University spirit, aiming to establish India as a global education hub through the promotion of higher learning and research. This vision builds on the recent inauguration of Nalanda University in 2024.

PM Modi on the occassion of Independence Day made a fresh pitch for having 'one nation, one election’ stating that frequent elections created hurdles in the progress of the nation.

"Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme/initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections," he said.

The prime minister urged political parties "from the Red Fort and with the national tricolour as a witness to ensure the nation's progress".

India’s Independence Day, celebrated annually on August 15, commemorates India officially gaining independence from British colonial rule on 15 August 1947, following the enactment of the Indian Independence Act, marking a significant milestone and reshaping the country’s identity and destiny.

As our flag symbolises national pride and unity, let’s reflect on the historical context, the evolution of the national flag, and ten intriguing facts about it. (Read More)

In his I-Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the urgent need to transform the agricultural sector and highlighted the government's comprehensive efforts to improve the lives of farmers.

He said the government has launched programmes to encourage natural farming, and budget allocations too have been increased to promote such farm practices.

Modi expressed confidence that India can become the organic food basket of the world. "It is very important to transform our agriculture system. This is the need of the hour," he said.

'On behalf of 140 crore people, I would like to congratulate all the players. We will move forward to achieve new goals. In upcoming days, teams will depart for the Paralympics in Paris. I want to give best wishes to them as well,' said PM Modi in his I-Day speech today. 

'India organised the G20 Summit in India and hosted over 200 events across the nation. It proved that India has the ability to organise big events. As this has been proven, it is now India's dream to host 2036 Olympics in India and we are preparing for that,' says PM Modi,' he further said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his I-Day speech stated that numerous global companies are eager to invest in India and urged state governments to compete with one another to attract these investments.

"It's a golden opportunity" to make India a hub of global manufacturing, he said, and called upon state governments to make polices to attract investment, while ensuring good governance and law and order.

Modi also said the country needs to work on "Design In India" and "Design for the World".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that his government aims to develop an education system in India that would eliminate the need for young people to go abroad for their studies.

"We want to build such an education system in India that youngsters do not need to go abroad to study. In fact we would want foreign students to come here and study," he said.

The prime minister also announced that an additional 75,000 medical seats will be created in the next five years.

"Even today, children, mostly belonging to the middle class, are going abroad for medical education. They spend lakhs and crores on medical education abroad. Around 25,000 youths every year go abroad for medical education and they go to such countries, I get surprised when I hear about them."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is the only country among G20 nations to have met its climate targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement ahead of schedule.

"I want to tell the world about the strength of my country's people. My country and its people have accomplished what other G20 nations have not.

"We have met the climate targets set under the Paris Agreement ahead of schedule. India is the only nation among the G20 countries to do so, and we are proud of it," he said. 

"From the Red Fort, I urge the political community to support the idea of "One Nation, One Election." It is crucial for the nation to unite behind this initiative. Frequent elections create stagnation in the nation. Today, every scheme and initiative seems to be influenced by election cycles, and every action is colored by political considerations," PM Modi said. 

I believe we should discuss the civil code in the country. Discriminatory laws need to be abolished, and we should implement a secular civil code. We need to transition from a communal civil code to a secular one.

"I hope things will soon be normal in Bangladesh. 140-crore people in India want taht Hindus and minorities there be safe. We want our neighbouring countries to tread the path of peace and happiness. We will remain well-wishers of Bangladesh," the PM said. 

On the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort and praised advancements in women’s empowerment.

He compared the global success of Indian CEOs to the achievements of women in self-help groups, noting, “While our CEOs gain global recognition, one crore women are becoming Lakhpati Didis.” Modi also announced that the government plans to allocate between Rs 10 and 20 lakh to these groups.

“To date, Rs 9 lakh crore has been provided to support women’s self-help groups,” he added.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that Indian banks are now among the strongest globally, thanks to significant reforms by his government.

"Just imagine what was the condition of our banking sector. There was no growth, no expansion, and there was no faith (in the banking system). Our banks were going through difficult times...We took big reforms to make the banking sector strong. Today, because of the reforms, our banks are among the few strong banks globally," Modi said. 

Modi stressed that a strong banking system is essential to meet the needs of the middle class, farmers, homebuyers, startups, and the MSME sector.

While addressing the nation on the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said that the government plans to introduce 75,000 new seats in the medical sector in the next 5 years. “Every year, many children from our country go abroad to pursue medical education. To address this, we are introducing 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years,” he said. “Visit Bharat’ should also mean ‘Healthy Bharat.’ The first generation of a prosperous Bharat must be healthy, which is why we have launched the Poshan Mission,” Modi further stated.

"For the third consecutive time, you have given us the opportunity to serve the nation. This means a responsibility to serve every family and community across the country. Today, I want to thank you so much for this blessing and assure you that we will move forward with renewed vigour. Our goal is to reach new heights of progress together," said PM Modi

PM Modi said that the space sector is very important and that many reforms have been made. He also mentioned that more startups are getting involved in this area.

"Today, many startups are entering this sector. Space sector which is becoming vibrant is an essential element towards making India a powerful nation. We are focusing and giving strength to this sector with a long-term idea."

Prime Minister Modi noted that in the last ten years, 10 crore women have joined self-help groups, which is helping them become financially independent. He said, "Financially independent women can contribute to household decisions, leading to positive social changes. So far, we have provided 9 lakh crores to these self-help groups."

While addressing the nation on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said that the banking sector plays a crucial role for the middle class, providing loans for education and business ventures. 

"I am pleased to see that now even fishermen and farmers are benefiting from banking loans," he said. 

"Unfortunately, in the past, people had to endure a ‘mai-baap’ culture, where they had to plead with the government for every necessity. Today, we have transformed this governance model. The government is now actively involved in youth skill development and is taking steps to improve access to essential services, such as installing gas connections and water connectivity directly in people's homes," said PM Modi. 

While addressing the nation on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said, "Some people question why we should work for future generations. However, many across the country have long awaited significant reforms. When we came to power, we made the decision to advance major reforms aimed at transforming lives. I want to assure the public that these reforms are not merely for temporary attention; they are designed to strengthen the nation. That is why I can confidently say that today, these reforms have become the blueprint for our growth." 

Our Motto is ‘Nation First’, he said.

At the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi declared, "We take immense pride in being the descendants of the 40 crore people who ended colonial rule in India. Today, as a nation of 140 crore, if we unite with a shared resolve and move in a single direction, we can achieve 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, overcoming all obstacles in our path."

While addressing the nation on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said, "Viksit Bharat 2047’ is more than just a phrase for a speech; it represents a significant commitment and effort. We are actively working towards this vision and have sought input from citizens to shape it. The dreams and aspirations of every individual—whether young or old, urban or rural, including farmers and Dalits—have been integrated into this vision.

"Reading their advice has been immensely encouraging. People envision India as the global skill capital and as a leading global manufacturing hub."

While addressing the nation on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said, "Today is a day to pay tribute to the countless 'Azaadi ke deewane' who made sacrifices for our nation. This country is deeply indebted to them."

On the occasion of India’s 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort. In his address, he spoke about the recent series of natural calamities that have affected many across the country. “In these natural disasters, people have lost their families and lives. Today, I express my deepest sympathies to all those affected and want to assure them that we stand with them in this difficult hour,” he said.

On Thursday, Google, the search engine giant, celebrated India's 78th Independence Day with a special doodle featuring traditional doors. In the digital artwork, each letter of the company's name—'G', 'O', 'O', 'G', 'L', and 'E'—is illustrated on a door adorned with a unique and ornate design. Google India also shared a note about the doodle on its website.

"Today's Doodle, illustrated by Vrinda Zaveri, celebrates Independence Day in India! On this day in 1947, India gained its freedom from colonial rule," the internet giant said in the note.The people of India strongly desired "self-governance and sovereignty after nearly two centuries of inequality, violence, and lack of fundamental rights".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the tricolour and addressed the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi, early morning on August 15, on the occasion of India’s 78th Independence Day.Jawaharlal Nehru first started the tradition in 1947, although his address was on August 16, a day after the official handover of power. In his speech, he memorably called himself the pratham sevak of India.Over the years, the Red Fort has become an integral part of India’s Independence Day celebrations, often capturing the mood of the nation and the government in power.

But why was Red For chosen for this honour? To understand this, first a brief history of how Delhi became the seat of power in India. (Read More)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to deliver his 11th Independence Day address, from the ramparts of the Red Fort this morning.

The minister and other dignitaries have started arriving at the Red Fort ahead of the Prime Minister's speech today. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena, Kiren Rijiju were amongst the many seen arriving at the venue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted the people of the country on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day.

“Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!” he wrote on X.

I was exactly six when India became a free country. What a day that was. Memory being what it is, I only remember the mad exultation all around and three close-knit families from the neighbourhood piling into a large van to go see the lights in south Bombay. Victoria Terminus all lit up. The Municipal Corporation too. The Old Lady of Bori Bunder? I’m not sure. What I do remember is thousands of people milling around, grinning without reason.

Winning independence for the country was not winning freedom for citizens. That happened only three years later. I was nine when the Constitution of India came into force and we were granted the rights to equality, freedom of religion, cultural practice, education and, most importantly, to freedom of speech and expression. This is the freedom I fight for as a journalist and writer. This is the freedom at whose altar Salman Rushdie lost precious years of his life being ‘protected’ and, decades later, his right eye.

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