PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day Speech at Red Fort: Highlights

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing his first Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.

Here are the highlights of his speech:

• My beloved countrymen, today Indians all over are celebrating Independence Day.
• My dear Indians, my greetings to all of you on this day.

• I am here not as pradhan mantri (Prime Minister) but as pradhan sevak (prime servant in service of country). (PM Modi's Independence Day Speech: Who Said What)
• Independence can became an inspiration to take India to new heights.
• These days give us inspiration and they showcase the national character. These days can inspire us to take India to newer heights.
  
• This country has not been made by politicians, kings or governments. It has been made by farmers, labourers, youth, our mothers and sisters. 
• Our country has progressed because of the hard work of all these people. 
• I salute all those who sacrificed themselves for India's freedom. (PM Modi's Top 10 Quotes)
• It is the pride of Constitution that a boy from a poor family has unfurled the flag at Red fort today.
  
• It is the strength of our Constitution. I thank the makers of the Constitution. 
• All the previous governments have a hand in developing India. The state governments have a hand in it as well. I offer my respects to all previous governments and Prime Ministers.
• We should walk together, work together and progress together. We should move ahead with this mantra. (For PM's Speech, No Bullet-Proof Glass is a Break from Tradition)
• The nation should move towards one target, one direction, one intention and one decision.
• I assure Indians I will develop India. This I say standing under the Tricolour.
  
• I am an outsider to Delhi. But an outsider came to Delhi and got an insider view in the last two months. (I Am an Outsider to Delhi, Stresses PM Modi in His Speech)
• This is not a platform for politics but nation building.
• The government should have the same direction, the same intention.
• Some say now that Modi government is here, people have started going to work at the right time.
• Should government officials going to work at the right time be in the news in this country?
• I want to remind government servants that they are not merely doing a job, they are providing a service.
• I want to expedite the nation-building process by encouraging the capabilities of government functionaries.
• From a chaprasi to Cabinet Secretary, every government servant in competent. We will harness that strength.
  
• We want to move forward not on the basis of majority but on consensus.
• The first Parliament session of our government just concluded yesterday. 
  
• The session reflects our thinking. We don't believe in the force of majority. We worked with everyone, we took everyone along.
  
• The credit for this goes not to the PM but the MPs and the Opposition.
• With an insider's view, I found that there are many governments within a government. One department was fighting with another department.
• How  can we work for the country if we fight amongst ourselves?
  
• I have tried to break the walls.
• I want the government to be an organic unity and not an assembled entity.
  
• I assure you that people in the government and government offices are extremely capable.
• Isn't it our responsibility to build a nation our freedom fighters dreamed of, the nation they gave their lives for? 
• When we hear about incidents of rape, our heads hang in shame.
  
• I want to ask every mother and father, you ask your daughters 'where are you going, who are you going with'. But do you ever ask your sons these questions? After all, those who rape are also someone's son. (PM on Rape Cases: Correct Sons, Don't Question Daughters)
• Everyone is busy giving their psychological opinions on rape. 
  
• We have to rise above mera kya - mujhe kya (what am I getting out of this); some things have to be done for the greater national good.
• I appeal to the doctors not to kill the girl-child in the mother's womb.
  
• I request the parents not to kill the girl-child because they want a son. (One Daughter Can Serve Parents More Than 5 Sons: PM)
  
• Indian sportsmen brought pride to our country in the Commonwealth Games. 29 Indian women won medals at the CWG.
• Give up the path of violence, think of brotherhood and work for the country. 
• Communalism and caste violence are obstacles to India's growth.
• The law will take its own path but we need to take responsibility to bring our sons who deviated from right path to bring them back.
• If 125 crore people work together, India will move forward 125 crore steps. (Watch PM's Entire Speech and Rate it Here)
• We have not got anything from the path of violence.
• Today our farmer commits suicide because he cannot repay his debt. We want to give the poor the benefit of bank accounts.
• Under the PM's jan dhan yojna, the poor will be given insurance through debit card for up to Rs 1 lakh.
  
• We want to integrate the poorest of the poor with bank accounts.
• With the gun you can make the earth red but if you have a plough you can make the earth green.
• Come, Make in India. (Come, Make In India: PM Modi's Invite To the World)
  
• We have the capability. Invite companies from all sectors. 
  
• I invite our youth involved in manufacturing to ensure that all over the world, products say 'Made in India'.
• Why should we have to import things when we have such capable young citizens?
• Out of all the things we import, I will ensure that we start making at least one of those in India. 
• Let us think about zero-defect production with no adverse effect on the environment.
  
• The world used to think we are a land of snake charmers and black magic. But our youth has surprised the world with its IT skills. I dream of a digital India. ('No Snake Charmers Or Black Magic, We are Digital India', Says PM Modi)
  
• We want to forge ahead with digital India. We want to give good governance through E-governance.
  
• E-Governance is easy governance, effective governance.
  
• We have to move towards 'Digital India'. 
• Our mission is skill development. There can be no development with a jaded system.
  
• The world has changed.  India cannot sit isolated in one corner and determine its future.
  
• We import electronic goods, but if we start manufacturing these, it will benefit the country.
• Want to increase tourism. Tourism provides employment to a lot of people. 
  
• When I became the PM, the first task I took up was that of cleaning. People were surprised.
  
• If we keep our country clean, no one can come from outside and spoil it. (A Toilet For Every School, Says PM Modi, Calling for 'Clean India')
  
• I don't know whether people will appreciate me talking about dirt & toilets from Red Fort but I come from a poor family.
• All schools should have toilets. There should be separate toilets for schools. I urge all MPs to spend one year's funds to construct toilets.
• In 2019, ensuring cleanliness will be the most fitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.
  
• Gandhiji emphasised on cleanliness.
  
• We should ensure that every road, school, office, locality and neighbourhood is clean.
  
• It is a shame that our women have to wait for darkness to go out in the open to defecate. Can't we build toilets for the security of our women?
• There are many schemes named after the PM and many leaders. Today I announce a scheme in the name of Parliament. A scheme for villages. Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.
  
• By 2016, MPs should have at least made one village an ideal village. 
  
• If we want to develop India, we need to develop villages.
• By the end of five years, each MP should have converted at least five villages into ideal villages.  
• We will keep the blue-print of this scheme in front the MPs on October 11.
  
• There has been much speculation about the Planning Commission. 
  
• The Planning Commission was made according to the country's needs back then.
  
• The country has changed, its needs have changed. Times have changed from the time the Planning Commission was created. (Bye-Bye, Planning Commission. PM Says It's Over.)
  
• If we want to take the country forward, the states have to be taken forward.
  
• Sometimes renovating an old house takes a lot of money and we are still not satisfied, hence it is better to build a new one. 
  
• With the object of building a partnership between the Centre and the state, with the object of strengthening our country, we will soon create a new institution.
• We fought for freedom together. We had no government, no weapons to help us. We defeated such a big empire without any government, without any arms.
  
• Let us today defeat poverty together. We should fight with the world against poverty.
  
• Together, with SAARC nations, we can became a world power. SAARC nations together can work to remove poverty.
  
• Leaders of SAARC nations came to the swearing-in ceremony. It was a good sign.