Independence Day 2021: 10 most iconic quotes from Prime Minister’s speeches

India will mark its 75th Independence Day with a watered-down celebration – in view of the COVID-19 pandemic – on Sunday.  This year, Indians from across the world can join in the celebrations virtually with the government having launched a website – indianidc2021.mod.gov.in – for that purpose.

The website features two live views – one from the ramparts of the Red Fort and another from Gyan Path – as users will get a never-seen-before look at the national festival. 

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One of the most important parts of the day is the Prime Minister’s speech, a tradition which comes after the tricolour is hoisted. Down the years, some of our most revered leaders have given iconic speeches to commemorate the country’s independence from the British rule. 

Let’s take a look at a few:

1. Jawaharlal Nehru (1947)

“Long years ago, we made a ‘tryst with destiny’ and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”

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2. Lal Bahadur Shashtri (1965)

“Force will be met by force. Whether we remain or not, let this country remain strong and let this flag keep flying.”

3. Morarji Desai (1977)

“You can catch me by the ear when I make a mistake. But do not catch me alone. Catch all my colleagues, if mistakes are committed. That is the kind of people’s power we want to build.”

4. Indira Gandhi (1976)

“We should not rest peacefully now that we have achieved Independence…. We have to protect this flame of Independence, from every gust of wind.”

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5. Chaudhary Charan Singh (1979)

“A man whose private life is not clean, his public life will also not be clean and such a person cannot serve the nation.”

Source: Charansingh.org

6. Rajiv Gandhi (1989)

“We have to make India self-reliant. We have to develop India into a great power in the world but not like other great powers that have risen by suppressing others.”

7. PV Narasimha Rao (1991)

“The day we get divided in the name of religion, the country will disintegrate.”

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“In such a big country, will we allow two or three bombs to put the economy in disarray? How will we work? We will just not permit this to happen?”

8. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2002)

“India has always stood the test of a secular nation. Jammu and Kashmir is a living example of this. And this itself is Kashmiriyat”

9. Manmohan Singh (2013)

“We have strived for India’s voice to be heard loud and clear at the international level, to build a nation that is looked at with respect and honour by the whole world. We have taken many measures to realise these dreams. But the journey is long and a large distance still remains to be travelled.”

10. Narendra Modi (2014)

“This nation has been built by our farmers, our workers, our mothers and sisters, our youth. The country has reached here today because of generation-to-generation rigours undertaken by our sages, our saints, our maestros, our teachers, our scientists and social workers.”