What PM Modi said on Independence Day

What PM Modi said on Independence Day

Special Desk :    |    ০৩:০৯ পিএম, ২০২১-০৮-১৬

On the eve of India's 75th anniversary of independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked healthcare workers and scientists for fighting Covid-19.

"The pain of losing them will never go away," Mr. Modi said of the mourners who lost their lives to the virus. As a result, the virus was fought "with remarkable speed".

The second Covid wave in India in April and May brought harsh criticism for his government. The second wave of infection led to the collapse of the country's fragile healthcare system as millions of people became infected.

Families pleaded for help on social media as distraught people died because hospitals ran out of oxygen and beds. As a result, even some crematoriums in the affected areas ran out of space. Since the peak of the crisis, the number of cases reported daily has fallen sharply from 400,000 to 30,000 to 40,000. Despite that, millions of Indians remain vulnerable to a third wave.

According to authorities, only 12% of India's population has been fully vaccinated, according to data from Delhi's historic Red Fort complex. Mr. Modi also praised India's vaccination program, saying more than 500 million people have received at least one dose.

Mr Modi mentioned India's historic performance at the Tokyo Games, development goals, the economy and climate change. Apart from Covid, he mentioned India's historic performance at the Tokyo Games, the country's development goals, the economy and climate change.

The following are the key points from his speech:

In Tokyo there was glory:

In his opening remarks, PM Modi wished a happy Olympics to India's athletes.

It won seven medals in Tokyo this year, surpassing the six it won at the 2012 London Olympics. On the medal count, India won one gold medal, two silver medals, and three bronze medals. Mr Modi said that many of the medal winners served as a role model for future generations. "These players have not just won our hearts, but also set an example for future generations," he said.

Economic system:

He highlighted the importance of manufacturing and exports, home-grown industries, and promoting innovation as some of the ways in which he envisions India's growth over the next 25 years. To accomplish this, the prime minister said, the government would launch an infrastructure plan worth $13.5m (£9.7m).

The aim is to ensure that the benefits of the economy should trickle down to every village and town in India, he added.But Mr Modi's promises come at a time when the Indian economy is struggling to recover from the damage caused by coronavirus. Growth had been faltering even before 2020 and the pandemic has made matters worse.

India's GDP shrunk by an unprecedented 7.3% in the previous financial year as the pandemic wiped out businesses. The virus has left deep scars - unemployment is on the rise while inflation remains high.The government has repeatedly spoken of achieving a sharp recovery in the coming months. But several financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have revised expectations downwards.

Farmers:

In recent days, Mr Modi's biggest challenge has been to tackle the growing discontent among India's farmers who are angry with a set of new laws aimed at reshaping the country's agriculture industry.Tens of thousands of farmers have been camping on the outskirts of Delhi since November in protest against these laws.

It wasn't surprising that he referred to the community several times in his speech, saying his government aims to make small farmers - who own less than two hectares of land - "the pride of India"."In the coming years, we will have to increase the collective power of the small farmers of the country. We have to give them new facilities. They must become the country's pride," Mr Modi said.

Partition:

Mr Modi also announced that India will mark 14 August every year as "Partition Horrors Remembrance Day". He said the decision was taken to honour those who died in the bloodied partition of India in 1947.But his critics say that marking the day will only open painful memories for many.

India celebrates its Independence Day a day after its neighbour Pakistan. The two newly-independent states were created after the partition of British India in 1947. The process triggered one of the largest migrations in human history as millions of people fled their homes and tens of thousands died. Climate change:

The prime minister talked about the importance of handling climate change, adding that India was committed to meet its target of reducing its carbon footprints.He announced that his government would invest more in greener sources of energy. He particularly talked about increasing investments in solar energy.