India mother of democracy, our self-reliance benefiting world: Modi

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday recalled the sacrifices of unsung heroes of the freedom movement saying India, the mother of democracy, is proud of its Constitution and democratic conventions which it continued to strengthen and power.

Launching ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the event to mark the celebrations of 75th year of India’s Independence, from Sabarmati in Ahmedabad on Friday, the Prime Minister said India’s self-reliance would fuel global development.

“The post-Independence period is marked with tales of accomplishments of Indians who have proved themselves at home and abroad by the sheer dint of their hard work. We are proud of our Constitution, we are proud of our democratic traditions. India, the mother of democracy, is moving ahead even today, powering democratic conventions. Replete with knowledge and science India is leaving its footprints from the Mars to moon,” said the PM saluting Mahatma Gandhi for undertaking the Dandi March on March 12, 1930 and transforming it into a symbol of India’s resistance and pride.

Also read: India falls to 53rd position in EIU's Democracy Index

The PM flagged off a padyatra of 81 people who will walk from Sabarmati to Navasri in Dandi in reminiscence of the Dandi March held 91 years ago against the British law on salt.

“Salt is a symbol of loyalty and trust. Mahatma Gandhi understood the pain of Indians and launched the Dandi March to reclaim Indian pride. Today again, a padyatra is starting from Sabarmati to recreate Bapu’s march,” said the PM.

He said India’s self-reliance in Covid vaccine development is already aiding the world.

“Today we are helping ease the pain of people. We have never hurt anyone but we are in the forefront of easing the hurt of others. This is the intrinsic culture of value of India. Today nations across the world are thanking India, trusting India. This is the first ray of India’s golden future,” the PM said, calling for people’s participation as the hallmark of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav which is being celebrated at 75 places of historical significance across India today.

The celebrations were launched today, 75 weeks in advance of the 75th year of Independence on August 15, 2022 and will continue till August 15, 2023.

The PM also mentioned India’s startup ecosystem becoming a matter of discussion on the world stage and how the government was documenting the tales of lesser-known heroes of the freedom struggle.

Urging youth participation in the celebrations, the PM asked schools to initiate activities to document life stories of 75 instances related to the freedom movement and get children to point to 75 places of significance on India’s map.

He also challenged law schools to compile the journey of legal struggles mounted during the Independence movement.

“We can document the people who fought legal battles to save the freedom fighters and what the attitude of British judges was,” said the PM saluting all the leaders of the Independence movement and naming Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and Veer Savarkar in the same breath.

The PM cited a host of struggles regional leaders led to strengthen the freedom movement, dwelt on the role of Bhakti movement in associating people with the cause of freedom and lauded the sacrifices by Sikh gurus who, he said, had inspired generations.

He said the government is building a museum documenting the sacrifices by tribal leaders.

The PM’s comments on India’s democratic traditions stood out, as they came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited a Swedish report to claim that India was no longer a democratic country.

The government recently rebutted a report by US organisation Freedom House which downgraded India from free to partly free society.

“What seriousness can be attached to the report of an organisation which cannot get even the map of sovereign India right?” the government asked.

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