
TERMING THE Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav a “mass movement”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the people to use the Tricolour as their social media profile picture from August 2-15 this year, marking 75 years of Independence.
“Let us further this movement by hoisting the National Flag at our homes,” he said in his Mann Ki Baat radio programme.
The Prime Minister said that under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a special campaign called “Har Ghar Tiranga” is being mobilised between August 13 and 15. “By becoming a part of this movement…you must hoist the Tricolour at your home, or adorn your home with it,” he said.
Urging the people to put the Tricolour as their social media profile picture from August 2-15, he noted that August 2 is the birth anniversary of Pingali Venkayya, who had designed the flag.
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“When India completes 75 years of Independence, all of us are going to witness a splendid and historic moment,” he said, referring to August 15. “Had we been born in the era of slavery, then how would have we imagined this day.”
The Prime Minister said the biggest message from all events in the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is that Indians should follow their duty with full devotion and termed the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal as “Kartavyakaal – an age of duty for every citizen. “Only then will we be able to fulfill the dream of those countless freedom fighters and to build the India of their dreams.”
The Prime Minister also paid tributes to Udham Singh on his death anniversary on Sunday.
He made special note of the various railway stations across India connected to the freedom struggle. He said 75 of such stations across 24 states have been identified and they will host several programmes.
“These 75 stations are being decorated very ornately. Many types of programmes are also being organised in these stations. You should also take out time to visit one such historical station in your vicinity. You will get to know in detail about pages from the history of the freedom movement that you have not been aware of. I urge the students of schools, and the teachers to take the small children of their schools to the nearby station and narrate the whole chain of events to those children,” he said.
Among them, he mentioned Gomoh Junction in Jharkhand which is now officially known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh and explained why it has been renamed.
“Netaji Subhas was successful in dodging British officers by boarding the Kalka Mail. All of you must have heard the name of Kakori Railway Station near Lucknow. The names of bravehearts like Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaq Ullah Khan are associated with this station,” he said.
In South India, he mentioned Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction. “Whenever you talk to the people of Tamil Nadu, you will get to know about Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction in Thoothukudi district. This station is named after Tamil freedom fighter Vanchinathan ji. This is the same place where Vanchi, 25 years of age then, had punished one British collector for his actions,” he said.
The Prime Minister also congratulated Indian sportspersons for performing “exceptionally well” at several international events and said July has been full of action when it comes to sports.
Ace shuttler P V Sindhu won her first title of Singapore Open while Neeraj Chopra also continued his excellent performance and won the silver medal for the country in the World Athletics Championship, he said.
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