'When we celebrate 100 years of freedom in '47, India will be a developed nation'

NEW DELHI: When India celebrates 100 years of freedom in 2047, it will be a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, exhorting 140 crore Indians not to pause or step back from that dream.

Addressing the nation on the 77th Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi said the country is moving forward with the dream of a developed India by 2047.

"It's not just a dream but a resolve of 1.4 billion citizens. To fulfil that resolve, hard work is essential, but our national character is the most significant force. The countries that have progressed, the ones that have overcome challenges, all of them have had a crucial catalyst – their national character. We must further strengthen our national character and move forward," he said.

He also said that India is a mother of democracy, a model of diversity and asserted that while there are several languages, several dialects, various costumes, the country has to move forward on the basis of all.

"The dreams are many, the resolution is clear, the policies are clear. There is no question mark on intention. But we have to accept some realities and address them...my dear family members, today I have come to seek your help from the Red Fort, I have come to seek your blessings from the Red Fort.

"In the Amrit Kaal, in 2047, when the country will celebrate 100 years of independence, then the tricolour should be that of a developed India.

"We don't have to stop, we don't have to back down and for this, suchita (probity), pardarshita (transparency), nishpakshta (impartiality) are needed," he said.

The PM, during his nearly 90-minute speech said that the strength of India comes from its citizens.

"Be it North or South, East or West, village or city, male or female – all of us contribute to the strength of our country with the spirit of unity and diversity. The second important aspect that I am observing is that if we want to see our country as a developed India by 2047, we must live by the mantra of ‘Shreshtha Bharat’ and characterize it," he said.

He also said that with the production motto of "Zero Defect, Zero Effect" and, Made in India" indigenous products can be made available on any table in the world.

"Be it our produce, our services, our words, our institutions, or our decision-making processes, everything will be supreme. Only then can we carry forward the essence of excellence," he said.

It is the collective responsibility of all citizens to ensure that the country has the strength in the form of awareness, transparency, and impartiality to make India a developed country by 2047, Modi said, adding that this can be provided through institutions as a citizen and as a family.

"And that's why if we look at the history of the last 75 years, there was no dearth in India's potential. And why can't this country, which was once called the ‘golden bird’, rise again with that same potential? I have an unwavering belief that in 2047, when the country celebrates 100 years of independence, my country will be a developed India. "And I am saying this on the basis of the strength of my country, our available resources and particularly trusting the power of youth, of those under 30 years of age. Moreover, I am saying this on the basis of the strength of my mothers and sisters," he said.

Lamenting certain obstacles in achieving the goal by 2047, Modi said that in the last 75 years certain bad elements have crept into the society and have become a part of our social system so much so that sometimes "we even turn a blind eye towards these".

"Now is not the time to shut your eyes," he said.

He also said that if India aspires to be a developed nation by 2047, "we should refuse to tolerate corruption" in the country under any circumstances.

Pitching himself as a member of the family, which is India, Modi said that everything that he does is to serve his "Shreshtha Bharat".

"I come from amongst you, within your midst and I live for you. If I have a dream, it is for you. If I sweat, it is for you. Not because you have entrusted me with this responsibility, but because you are my family. As a member of your family, I cannot bear witness to any of your sorrows, I cannot bear to see your dreams shattered. I am here to fulfil your resolutions, to stand by you as a companion, to serve you, to be connected with you, to live with you, and to fight for you.

"I am a person who has embarked on this journey with determination, and I believe that the struggles undertaken by our ancestors for independence and the dreams they had are with us today. The blessings of those who made sacrifices during the struggle for independence are with us. An opportunity has come for the 140 crore citizens of our country, and this opportunity has come with great potential and strength for us," he said.