India celebrates 78th Independence Day
By IAR Desk
August 15, 2024: India celebrated its 78th Independence Day today.
The country of 1.4 billion people won independence from Britain on August 15, 1947, after almost two centuries of colonial rule.
Celebrations include parades, poetry recitals and flag-hoisting ceremonies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 11th consecutive Independence Day address called on the country to work towards his government’s goal of Developed India (Viksit Bharat) in his Independence Day speech delivered from the ramparts of the Mughal-era Red Fort in Delhi.
“We take immense pride in being the descendants of the 40 crore [400 million] people who ended colonial rule in India,” Mr Modi said.
“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.”
Modi spoke about crimes against women emphasising the need for speedier probe and prompt justice delivery to “instill fear among the culprits”. His remark came against the backdrop of an ongoing mass protest in West Bengal’s Kolkata, where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and killed.
The prime minister expressed concern over the situation in Bangladesh and hoped that normalcy returned to India’s neighbour soon, saying “India is always a well-wisher of Bangladesh’s progress” . He also stressed the need for the protection of minorities in the country.
The Prime Minister also pitched for a secular civil code instead of a religious based one , which is currently the practice in the country now.
