My Dear Fellow Citizens, it gives me great pleasure to greet all the people of India, living in
the country and abroad, on the eve of the 74th Independence Day. August 15
fills us with the excitement of unfurling the tricolour, taking part in
celebrations and listening to patriotic songs. On this day, the youth of
India should feel the special pride of being citizens of a free nation. We
gratefully remember our freedom fighters and martyrs whose sacrifices have
enabled us to live in an independent nation. The ethos of our freedom
struggle forms the foundation of modern India. Our visionary leaders
brought together a diversity of world views to forge a common national spirit.
They were committed to120 the cause of
liberating Bharat Mata from oppressive foreign rule and securing the future of
her children. Their thoughts and140 actions shaped
the identity of India as a modern nation. We are fortunate that Mahatma
Gandhi became the guiding light160 of our freedom
movement. As much a saint as a political leader, he was a phenomenon that could
have happened only in India. Troubled by social strife, economic
problems, and climate change, the world seeks relief in his teachings. His
quest for equality and justice is the mantra for our Republic. I am glad
to see the younger generations re-discover Mahatma Gandhi. The celebrations of
Independence Day this year will be rather restrained. The reason is obvious.
The whole world240 confronts a
deadly virus which has disrupted all activities and taken a huge toll. It has
altered the world we lived in before the pandemic. It is very reassuring to
note that, the Central Government, while anticipating the tremendous challenge,280 responded effectively and well in time. For a country so
vast and diverse with high population density, meeting this challenge requires
super-human efforts. All State Governments took measures in accordance with local
circumstances. People also supported whole-heartedly. With our
committed320 efforts, we
have succeeded in containing the magnitude of the pandemic and
saving a large number of lives. This is worth emulating by the wider
world. The nation is indebted to doctors, nurses and other health workers who
have been360 continuously
on the forefront of our fight against this virus. Unfortunately, many of them
have lost their lives battling the pandemic. They are our national heroes. All
Corona Warriors deserve high praise. They go much beyond their call of duty to
save lives and ensure essential services. These doctors, health workers,
members of Disaster Management Teams, police personnel,
sanitation workers,420 delivery
staff, transportation, railway and aviation personnel, providers of various
services, Government employees, social service organizations and generous
citizens have been scripting inspiring stories of courage and selfless
service. When cities and towns go quiet and roads are deserted, they
work tirelessly to ensure that people are not deprived of health care
and relief, water and electricity, transport and communication480 facilities, milk
and vegetables, food and groceries, medicine and other essentials. They
risk their own lives to save our life and livelihood. Amid this
crisis, Cyclone Amphan hit us in West Bengal and Odisha. Concerted response
of Disaster Management Teams, Central and State agencies and alert citizens
helped minimize loss of life. Floods have been disrupting lives
of our people in the North-East and eastern States. Amid such onslaughts
of disasters, it is gratifying to see all sections of society 560 coming together to help those in distress.
Dear Fellow Citizens,
the poor and daily wage-earners are the worst hit by the
pandemic. In order to support them through this phase of crisis, virus
containment efforts have been supplemented by welfare600 interventions. By introducing ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Yojana’, the Government has enabled crores of people to earn their
livelihood, and mitigate the impact of job loss, dislocation and disruption
caused by the pandemic. The Government continues to extend its640 helping hand through a number of initiatives, supported
whole-heartedly by the corporate sector, civil society and
citizens. The needy are being given free food grains, so that no family goes
hungry. The largest free food distribution programme in the world has
been extended till the end of November 2020 to provide succour to about
80 crore people every month. In order700 to ensure that
migratory ration card holders get ration anywhere in the country,
all States are being brought under the720 coverage of ‘One Nation - One Ration Card’ scheme. Committed
to taking care of our people stranded anywhere in the world, the Government has
brought back more than 10 lakh Indians under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’.
Indian Railways has been operating train services, in these challenging
circumstances, to facilitate travel and transportation of people and goods.
Confident of our strengths, we reached out to help other countries in
their fight against COVID-19. In responding to calls from countries for800 supply of medicines, India has once again shown
that it stands by the global community in times of distress. We have
been at the forefront in evolving regional and global strategies
for an effective response to the pandemic. The overwhelming support840 India got at the elections for the non-permanent seat of
the United Nations Security Council is a testimony to the goodwill we
enjoy internationally. It has been the tradition of India that we do not
just live for ourselves, but work for the well-being of the entire world. India's
self-reliance means being self-sufficient without alienating or creating
distance from the world. It implies that India will continue to engage
with the world economy while maintaining its identity. The world now realizes
what our sages had said long ago: the global community is but one family.
However, even while the world community needs to fight together against the
greatest challenge before humanity, some in our neighbourhood tried to
carry out their960 misadventure
of expansion. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives defending our borders.
Those worthy sons of motherland lived and980 died for national pride. The entire nation
salutes the martyrs of Galwan Valley. Every Indian feels grateful to
their family members. Their bravery in combat has demonstrated that
while we believe in peace, we are also capable of giving a befitting
response to any attempt of aggression. We are proud of the members
of our Armed Forces, paramilitary forces and police personnel who
protect the borders, and ensure our internal security. I believe that
in the fight against COVID-19, life and livelihood, both are essential. We have
looked at the current crisis as an opportunity to initiate reforms to revitalize1080 the economy for
the benefit of all, specially farmers and small entrepreneurs. Landmark reforms
have been introduced in agriculture sector. Now, farmers can have barrier-free
trade and get the best price for their produce anywhere in the country. The Essential1120 Commodities Act
has been amended to remove certain regulatory restrictions on farmers.
This will help raise farmers’ income.
We have learnt
some tough lessons in the year 2020. The invisible virus has demolished the
illusion that human being is the master of nature. I believe, it is still not
too late for humanity to correct its course and live in harmony with nature.
The pandemic has awakened the global community to our shared destiny. In my
view, human-centric collaboration is1200 more
important than economy-centric inclusion, in the present context.
The greater this change, the better it will be for the humanity. The
twenty-first century should be remembered as the century when humanity put
aside differences and collaborated to save the planet. The second lesson
is that we are all equal before Mother Nature and we primarily depend on
our fellow1260 residents
for survival and growth. Coronavirus does not recognize any artificial
divisions created by human society. This reinforces the belief1280 that we need to rise above all man-made differences,
prejudices, and barriers. Compassion and mutual help have been adopted as basic
values by the people in India. We need to further strengthen this virtue in
our conduct. Only then can we create a better future for all of us. The
third lesson is about augmenting health infrastructure. Public hospitals and
laboratories have been leading the fight against COVID-19. Public health
services have helped the poor cope with the pandemic. In view of this,
public health infrastructure needs to be expanded and strengthened. The
fourth lesson relates to science and technology. The pandemic has
highlighted the need to accelerate developments in science and technology.
During the lockdown and subsequent unlocking, information1400 and communication technology has emerged as an effective
tool for governance, education, business, office work and social connect. It
has helped meet the twin objectives of saving lives and resumption of
activities. Offices of the Government of India and of1440 the State Governments have been extensively using
virtual interface to discharge their functions. The judiciary has been
conducting virtual court proceedings to deliver justice. In Rashtrapati
Bhavan also, we have used technology to conduct virtual conferences
and carry out many activities. IT and communication tools have promoted
e-learning and distance education. Work-from-home has become the
norm in many sectors. Technology has enabled certain establishments
in Government and private sectors to work overtime to keep the
wheels of the economy running. Thus, we have learnt the lesson that
adoption of science and technology, in harmony with nature, will help sustain
our survival and growth. These lessons will prove useful to humanity.
The younger generation has learnt the lessons well, and I believe that the
future of India is safe in their hands. These are difficult times for all
of us, more so for our youth. The closure of our educational
institutions would have caused anxiety among our girls and boys,
casting1600 a shadow
over their dreams and aspirations for the time being. However, I
would like them to remember that these difficult times would not
last and they should not give up working for their dreams. 1635
