New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 10th consecutive Independence Day address on Tuesday at the historic Red Fort here. He said the situation in Manipur, which witnessed violence in the past few weeks, was improving and urged the people in the northeastern state to build on the peace restored there.
Modi said the entire nation is with Manipur, and the Centre and the state government were making every effort to find a solution and will continue to do so.
"In the past few weeks, during the period of violence in the North East, especially in Manipur, many people lost their lives, and the honor of mothers and daughters suffered a lot, but in the last few days, there are reports of peace. The nation is with Manipur, the Prime Minister said at the outset of his 10th consecutive address from the Red Fort.
"The people of Manipur should build on the peace that has been restored over the past few days. The path for a solution will be found through peace in Manipur," the Prime Minister said.
More steps to tackle inflation
Modi said the government will be taking more measures to tackle inflation so as to minimise the burden of price rise on people.
He added that the the world is grappling with high inflation, and when India imports goods, it also imports inflation. "The world is yet to fully recover from the impact of Covid pandemic. The war has created yet another problem. The world is grappling with the problem of inflation. Inflation has gripped the global economy," the prime minister said.
Further, he said when India import goods from other countries, "unfortunately" it also imports inflation.
Modi said the government has taken several steps to keep inflation under control, and some success has been achieved.
"But we cannot be satisfied (just) because our situation is better than the world. We have to take more steps to minimise the burden of price rise on our people. We will definitely take the steps. My efforts will continue," he said.
The Prime Minister's assertion also comes a day after retail inflation jumped to 7.44 per cent in July, primarily driven by costlier tomatoes and vegetables.
For the first time in the current fiscal, retail inflation breached the Reserve Bank of India's comfort level of 6 per cent.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation surged to 7.44 per cent in July, much higher than 4.87 per cent in June.
Retail inflation stood at 6.71 per cent in July 2022 and the previous high was recorded at 7.79 per cent in April 2022.
RBI has the mandate to keep retail inflation in the range of 2 to 6 per cent and after remaining above the upper limit for most of the 2022-23 financial year, inflation was in the central bank's comfort zone this fiscal till June.
While unveiling the bi-monthly monetary policy last week, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das had warned of a substantial increase in headline inflation in the near-term and revised upwards the inflation forecast for the second quarter to 6.2 per cent.
Collective fight against corruption, nepotism, appeasement
Decrying corruption, nepotism and appeasement as the three evils that have harmed the country immensely, Modi said it is a collective responsibility to promote "suchita (probity), pardarshita (transparency), nishpakshta (objectivity)" to make India developed.
He said that corruption has badly affected India's capabilities and the country has to resolve to not tolerate it in any form.
"It is Modi's life-long commitment to keep fighting against corruption...My government weeded out 10 crore fake beneficiaries of welfare schemes, seizure of ill-gotten assets rose by 20 times," he said.
He also said that the politics of appeasement has inflicted the most harm on social justice.
Modi said that democracy has been affected by the ills of nepotism and alleged that dynastic parties work with the mantra of "party of the family, by the family and for the family".
Multi-layer security cover in Delhi
Multi-layer security is in place across Delhi on Tuesday, with more than 10,000 personnel manning the area in and around the historic Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on its 77th Independence Day, police said.
Around 1,000 cameras with facial recognition and video analytic systems have been installed in and around the Mughal-era fort and at other strategic locations to ensure security and monitor VVIP movements, they said.
"Adequate traffic arrangements have been put in place. The traffic police has also issued an advisory. We urge people to follow the advisory. The borders (of Delhi) have been closed for heavy vehicles from Monday night, while others entering the city are being checked. We are keeping a strict vigil on social media as well," Nalwa said.
The government has invited around 1,800 special guests from across the country to attend the programme. Seventy-five couples from each state and Union Territory, in their traditional attire, have been invited to witness the ceremony.
Keeping in mind the recent violence in Haryana's Nuh and adjoining areas, a strict vigil is being ensured, police said.
Thorough checking is being carried out at the borders and the police have warned of strict action against anyone trying to disrupt law and order in the national capital. The areas surrounding the Red Fort have been demarcated as a "no kite flying zone" till the completion of the programme.
As many as 153 kite catchers have been deployed at strategic locations to intercept kites, police said. Residents of areas near the Red Fort have been asked not to fly kites till the event is over.
Police also prohibited the flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms such as paragliders, paramotors, hang-gliders, unmanned aerial vehicles, microlight aircraft, remotely-piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small-size powered aircraft, quadcopters, and para-jumping from aircraft over the jurisdiction of the National Capital Territory of Delhi up to August 16.
Keeping with tradition since 2014
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sported a multicolour Rajasthani bandhani print turban with an off-white kurta and churidar for the 77th Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort.
For his 10th Independence Day speech as prime minister, Modi also wore a black V-neck jacket with the turban which was a mix of yellow, green and red colour with a long tail. It was in keeping with the tradition of PM Modi wearing colourful turbans on every Independence Day since 2014.
(With PTI inputs)
