I am Pradhan Sevak, says Narendra Modi from Red Fort
New Delhi: Delivering his first Independence Day speech at the Red Fort here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday described himself as the country's "Pradhan Sevak"."I stand before you today not as the prime minister but
08:40 am: Modi ends his speech. He hails the nation with - "Bharat Mata Ki Jai"
08:38 am: Modi: I can assure you that if you walk a mile, I'll walk an extra mile, if you work for 12 hours, I'll work for 13 hours, because I stand before you not as a Prime Minister but as a Prime servant.
08: 35 am: Modi: Poverty is another issue that we need to look into. A boy shot at a bird. His brother pulled out th arrow to save him. The two boys ran to their mother. Each of them wanted the bird. So the mother asked them - Who shot the bird? The first boy replied "I".
The mother then said the bird belongs to the one who saved it. The strength of the saviour is much more than the strength of the person who kills. Lets unite to fight poverty:
Hence we need to take other SAARC nations together and work with them. They too suffer from the same financial crisis and poverty. We must save them and work for ourselves too.
08:32 am: Modi: Importance of federal structure is only increasing. This is a good thing and we have to strengthen it. In a short span of time we will initiative a new institution that will work in place of the Planning Commission.
Today is also the birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo.
08: 27 am: Modi: Since our government has been formed the media is talking about the Planning Commission. The State governments are becoming development centric. Today the times have changed from the time the Planning Commission was created
08:24 am: Modi: Our MPs want to do a lot. So I want to launch a scheme by the name of "Sansad adarsh gram yojana". This scheme will be implemented by 2016. MPs will have to adopt a village and take care of it. We will create Adarsh villages across the country.
On 11 October, on Jayaprakash Narayan's birthday, I will display they complete blueprint of this scheme.
08:22 am: I don't know what you must be saying that this man is standing at the Red Fort and talking about cleanliness, hygiene, etc. I don't know how you will take it. But I am a poor man. For me, these are primary issues. My heart pains when I see such things.
08:20 am: Modi: Friends in the 21st century our sisters and mothers don't have toilets. What about dignity of women? Are we preserving it? They may be infected with diseases because they have to wait for dusk to go to the fields to freshen up.
08:18 am: People may think it is a petty work to have the nation cleaned. But I think it is very crucial. If every citizen resolutes not to litter then our country will be clean. For Mahatma Gandhi cleanliness was of prime importance.
08:16 am: Modi: E-governance is easy governance. It is said that railways connects the country now I say its IT sector that connects the country. We want to expand tourism sector. Street vendors benefit, tea sellers benefit---and when tea sellers benefit I feel happy...
08:16 am; Modi: Brothers and sisters, India was known as the land of snake charmers. We need to erase that image and create a new one. For that we need to move towards digitization.
08:13 am: Modi: We must aim for Zero defect and zero effect in the manufacturing sector. Zero defect so that our product is not rejected by the global market. Zero effect - It must have no harmful effect on the environment.
08:12 am: Modi: Think of innovating just one think that would benefit India
08:11 am: Lal Bahadur Shastri had once said, "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan". In other to contribute to the nation you don't have to hang yourself to death like Bhagat Singh. Your work will do what has to be done.
08:07 am: Youngsters must have the skill to create jobs. Our country has changed. We cannot decide the future alone. The world is changing and we need to keep up with them. Today if want to provide employment for the youth we need to develop manufacturing sector. India can put its strength. We can provide the world with resources. I want to tell the entire world "come make India" - be it appliances, equipment or any other commodity - come, make in India!!!! We have the strength, we have the skill, we have the resources.
08:05 am: Our nation has the largest number of youth. Have we taken advantage of that? At time we look for good cooks, drivers, mechanics but we don't find them. That is why skill development will utilize that capabilities of the youth. With the gun you can make the earth red but if you have a plough you can make the earth green.
Come, Make in India.
08:03 am: If 1.15 billion people take a step forward, then we will have moved 1.15 billion steps.
08:01 am: Modi: When you ask a person working in private sector, he will say I have a job, government employs will say I am in service. What is there such a difference?
08:00 am: Modi: I want to ask every mother and father, you ask your daughters 'where are you going, who are you going with'. Why don't you ask your sons the same questions? After all a person raping is someone's son. As parents have we asked our sons where he is going. Why not put same yardstick for sons too
07:58 am: Modi: If you see sex - ratio in India it is 940 females per 1000 males. I request you not to slain dasughters for sons. I request mothers not to slain daughters in your hope for sons. I have seen families where there are many sons but their parents live in old - age homes. I have also seen families where one girl has dedicated her life for her family. She has left her dreams behind for her mother and father. Daughters have contributed towards India. We need to accept it. For national character we need to acknowledge them as our equal.
07:57 am: Modi: Adopt peace, unity and brotherhood for the country. Move together! speak together; let your minds apprehend alike; in like manner as the Gods concurring accepted their portion of the sacrifice. Common be the prayer of these (assembled worshippers) common be the acquirement, common the purpose, associated be the desire. Common be your intention, common be your hearts; common be your thoughts, so that there may be thorough union among you!
07:54 am: Modi: We had witnessed that violence cannot take us forward. King Ashok wanted to conquer entire India but when he saw the damages that war causes he left that path. A nation like Nepal, land of Lord Buddha, has deviated from the path of violence and has adopted peace. Can't we do the same. Somethings its casteism, otherwise it is communal violence. Can we not move away from it? Have you realised that we have gained nothing from violence. Violence only adds stain of mother India.
07:49 am: While working do we ever think that whether our work is benefitting the poor and destitute of the nation. Do we ever think of our breathrens. Or do we just wonder - What about me? How am I benefitting?...What about me me me?
07:48 am: Modi: I proclaim before the national flag that it is possible to make a developed India that is unitedly working for the nation.
07:47 am: Modi: I have seen media publishing news on Ministers reaching their department on time. Is this news material? And if it is, then what is the kind of image that we have created.
07:44 am: Modi: Don't weigh in from political perspective. When I first came to Delhi, it seemed that there were smaller governments within the government itself. One department clashed with the other departments. So hostile was the relationship that they had to know doors of the Supreme Court. I am not from Delhi, hence it was my observance as an outsider. So I pledged to take everyone together. "ek disha, ek mati".
07:41 am: Modi: We must walk together, work together, think together. yesterday the new government held the last Lok Sabha session. I am proud to admit that it was successful. We don't believe in dictatorship. We have taken the opposition along with us. the credit does not go to us alone, but to all the members of the House. I am humbled before all the members of the House who cooperated with the government in taking the country forward.
07:39 am: Modi: Today son of a poor mother has got the privilege to address the nation and hoist the national flag. Its all because of our constitution. Brothers and sisters, all the previous governments and Prime ministers have contributed richly to nation. I am grateful to each one of them.
07:36: am: Modi: My beloved countrymen this nation has not been created by politicians or governments. It has been made by our farmers, laborers, our mothers and sisters, saints, sages, youth, etc are responsible for India. They deserve all honor.
07:35 am: Modi: So many people have laid down their lives for our motherland. I salute them all.
07:34 am: Modi: I am not here to address you as the Prime Minister but as the Prime 'sevak' (servant)
07: 34 am: PM Modi begin his speech
07:30 am: PM Modi hoists the National flag for the first time (National Anthem is being played in the background)
07:29 am: The ceremony will begin in few minutes
07:25 am: Modi marches up to the Lahore gate of the Red Fort from where he will unfurl the National flag
07:24 am: The band gets ready to strike up a slow march
07:23 am: PM Modi is given a Guard of Honour
07:22 am: Prime Minister has reached the Red Fort
07:09 am: Modi has reached Rajghat
06: 00 am: Modi will deliver his speech without bullet proof enclosure. This is a major decision taken by him from security point of view. This is the first time that a PM will address without it.
5:00 am: Tight security arrangements made at the venue. Police personnel in large numbers deployed at the Red Fort.