Modi's speech on independence day 2015

Modi's I-Day speech highlights:social security,war on graft

There is no place for communalism or corruption in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day address to the nation on Saturday even as he acknowledged a solution is yet to be found to the long-standing demand for one rank one pension for military personnel.

Speaking from the ramparts of the 17th century Red Fort, Modi pointed to need for a medicine to tackle graft, which was eating away at the country “like a termite”. He said the “poison” of casteism and communalism must be fought with the “nectar of development”.

Modi repeatedly referred to the central role of the country’s one billion-plus population – which he dubbed “Team India” – in his government’s development plans, saying the people alone will take India to new heights.


The Prime Minister, who has often been criticised for his silence on attacks on minorities by leaders of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, said there was no place for casteism and communalism in the country.


“Be it the poison of casteism or the frenzy of communalism, these have no place in the country and should not be allowed to grow. These ills have to be eradicated through the nectar of development,” 
said Modi, clad in a beige kurta, a matching sleeveless jacket and saffron ‘saafa’.

"If the unity of India is destroyed, then the dreams of the people are also destroyed," he said.

Modi dwelt at length on the need to eradicate corruption during his nearly 90-minute speech. “I want to reaffirm that this nation will get rid of corruption. We can rid the country of corruption, we have to start from the top," he said.

“Corruption is like a termite, it spreads slowly, reaches everywhere but it can be beaten with timely injections,” he said. Modi also declared that there had been no allegation of corruption against his government since it came to power 15 months ago.

Modi, who spoke without the protection of a bulletproof shield, said his government had accepted the demand for OROP in principle but did not commit himself to a timeframe for rolling out the scheme.