Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed the 'Sunder Subhumi' program organized on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in Kishanganj, Bihar today.
On this occasion, Shri Amit Shah also honoured the Freedom Fighters Shri Bhrigu Nath Sharma and the families of Freedom Fighters Late Shri Gopal Rai Vaidya and Late Shri Lal Ranjan Rai for the contribution made to the Freedom Struggle.
In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is a moment that will never come again in history. He said that we are all fortunate that we are in the year which is known as the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. He said that when the country became Independent after hundreds of years of slavery, the sacrifices of countless people, and the long Freedom Struggle of 90 years from 1857 to 1947, people had many hopes and dreams. Those who laid down their lives always thought that if we get Freedom through our sacrifices, then only will the true meaning of our lives be realized and we became Independent through the sacrifices of such people. Shri Shah said that we have completed this journey of 75 years so far with great pride, but in the 75th year of Independence, the country has achieved much. He said that in 2014, the country's economy was ranked 11th in the world, and in this year of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, our economy has overtaken the United Kingdom to become the fifth-largest economy in the world. He said that today India is telling the world that in 75 years we have made our Independence meaningful in the true sense by overtaking the British with our tireless efforts and patience.
The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set three goals before the citizens while celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. First, to inculcate the spirit of patriotism by making the youth aware of our known or unknown Freedom Fighters. He said that it was Veer Babu Kunwar Singh, 85, of Bihar, who defeated the British many times during the Revolution of 1857 and tried to liberate the country till his last breath. He said that the whole world knew India by the name of ‘Sone ki Chidiya’ (Golden Bird). People from all over the world came to Takshashila, Vikramaditya, and Nalanda to study medical science, engineering, Vedas, Upanishads, and the grammar of many languages of the world. The brave sons of the country sacrificed their lives to take the country to the same place. He asked can we all do this together to accelerate the process of making the country great again and when the country becomes great then we all become great. When India becomes great, every Indian becomes great.
Shri Amit Shah said that the second objective of celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav was that we should glorify what we have achieved in 75 years and remember those who have contributed to this. When we became Independent, we did not even make needles, but now India is manufacturing equipment to send missions to Mars. In these 75 years, the roots of our democracy have deepened, power had changed hands many times, and we have set an example for the world that the transition of power can happen without bloodshed. Shri Shah said that the third goal of Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav is that when the Centenary of our Independence is celebrated in 2047, then the period between 75 years to 100 years will be celebrated as Amrit Kaal. In this Amrit Kaal, we have to decide where the country will be in every field. He said that this Amrit Kaal is the Amrit Kaal for the people of the country to decide their goals. Our national goals are fixed when 130 crore people make their own goals. He told all the youth that you must decide on a goal for their life, and have resolved it, even if that resolve is only for them. If 130 crore people make one resolution then the country moves forward 130 crore steps together and becomes a very big power. This Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is the time to take a pledge for the country and its 130 crore citizens.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that when the Centenary of Independence will be celebrated, many of us will not be alive, but many of those in this program will definitely be alive. Such persons will be citizens of an India, of which every Indian will be proud and for this the Nation and 130 crore people need to make collective efforts and make a collective determination in one direction, that is why the decision to celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav has been taken