NEW DELHI: OUTLINING his government’s agenda during the Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government’s resolve is to turn ‘Swaraj’ (self-rule) into ‘Surajya’ (good rule), adding that it resolves to fulfil the dream of ‘Ek Bharat, Sresth Bharat’.
“Today, on this special day, I convey my greetings to 125 crore Indians and the Indian community living overseas. May this energy guide the nation to scale newer heights of progress in the years to come. We remember Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru and countless people who sacrificed their lives so that we attained Swarajya,” Modi said while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort here.
Modi said India’s age is not 70, but the journey post- colonial rule for a better India is 70 years old. “From the Vedas to Vivekananda, we have a long history. India is an ancient country with a rich cultural heritage. It is because of our great freedom fighters who laid down their lives that we are independent,” he added. “Yes, we face several problems. But we are capable of overcoming them. The onus is on the 125 crore people of India to convert this ‘Swaraj’ (self-rule) into ‘Surajya’ (good rule). We will fulfil the dream of ‘Ek Bharat, Sresth Bharat’,” he said.
The Prime Minister said it’s easy to keep an account of the work done by the government, but difficult to have in-depth knowledge of those initiatives. “From Panchayat to Parliament and from village head to the Prime Minister… everybody should understand their responsibilities. Today, more than Karya, I want to talk about Karya Sanskriti on the government,” he added.
He said the meaning of ‘Surajya’ is a qualitative and positive change in the lives of the citizens. “Today I am not talking only about niyati (policies), but also about neeyat (intentions). ‘Surajya’ means a government should be sensitive towards the common man, weaker sections. For this, one needs to give importance to good governance, accountability and transparency,” he added.