Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat on the occasion of Independence Day on Thursday, prior to the flag hoisting at the Red Fort.
He headed to the venue of Independence Day function at the Red Fort to hoist the tricolour and address the nation, after paying homage to Gandhi.
This is Modi's sixth Independence Day speech and the first after returning to power with a massive mandate, from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
People's trust in us have given us new strength. The 2019 mandate shows that hopelessness has given way to hope among masses., PM Modi said. He also condoled death of people in recent floods, assures affected people of all help.
If 2014-19 was an era to fulfil people's needs, the time since 2019 is about meeting aspirations and dreams. In 10 weeks of coming to power, we took key steps to fulfil aspirations of people, says PM; cites decision on triple talaq, Article 370.
In the last five years, we tried to improve ease of living. We will work harder in the next five years, said the PM shortly after hoisting the tricolour at Rajghat.
Modi urged people to visit at least 15 tourist destination within India by 2022, in a bid to improve local tourism.
He also expressed concern over "population explosion" in the country saying it causes new challenges for the coming generations, and asserted that the central and state governments should launch measures to deal with the issue.
He added that a small section of society, which keeps their families small, deserves respect. What they are doing is an act of patriotism, he said.
People of India are no longer happy with merely the proposal for a new railway station, they want to know when the state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express will come to their area, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He further added that the government has decided to invest Rs 100 lakh crore in infrastructure development.
