All Indians must plegde to make nation self-reliant and powerful, says Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday exhorted the people of the country to take a pledge that they will take individual steps for making India a self-reliant and a powerful nation by the 100th anniversary of its independence. He said this consciousness of the public will lead to constructive action as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through his schemes like ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self reliant India), Make in India and others. His remarks came at an event, held at the Red Fort, where he flagged off a 7,500-km car rally being undertaken by the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos. He also flagged in a central armed police forces cycle rally that culminated here after criss-crossing more than 41,000 km of the country as part of the ongoing celebrations of India’s 75 years of independence. If each one of the 130 crore citizens takes pledge to take the country forward and work for its development then we can make India ‘atmanirbhar’ (self reliant) and position it as a powerful nation, Shah said. He added that Modi’s clarion call to the citizens during the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav aims to work as an inspiration among the citizens, resulting into action that will lead to India’s development. “I urge all the citizens of the country to come together and dedicate themselves for realising Modi ji’’s dream of making India a USD 5 trillion economy and also making the country self reliant and developed.” “The events being held to celebrate India’’s 75 years of independence are aimed to inspire the young generation and create a highway for India’s development,” he said. The home minister said these events are aimed at instilling the young generation with a sense of patriotism and responsibility towards the country and also to remember the role of the known and unsung heroes of the freedom struggle. “We all were born after the independence in 1947…we may not get an opportunity to die for the country like many freedom fighters but we can live for the country and participate in the progress of the country,” he said. Shah said Modi has a vision that India, by its 100th anniversary of independence, becomes a manufacturing hub of the globe, attains self reliance and that its citizens are able to access good healthcare services like as planned under the ‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme. He lauded the security forces who battle tough conditions and made the supreme sacrifice to protect the country’s borders and the hinterland so that development activities can continue unabated. Talking about the even, he said the NSG commandos will undertake the car rally while the central armed police forces (CAPFs) have finished their cycle rallies after meeting common people and visiting the places linked to the freedom struggle. “I praise their efforts and salute the over 35,000 state and central police forces personnel who laid down their lives for the country,” he said. Shah, in his speech to the troops and officers of the CAPFs, also paid tributes to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri as the country is observing their birth anniversary on Saturday. He also felicitated Olympic bronze medal winning wrestler Bajrang Punia at the event held in front of the Red Fort. The CAPFs include the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and the SSB apart from the Assam Rifles and these forces work under the command of the Union home ministry for rendering a variety of internal security duties. A senior home ministry officer said the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) undertook 10 cycle rallies covering a total 16,426 km from locations like Gogra and Hot Springs, Ladakh and Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh as part of this event. The Border Security Force (BSF) undertook 15 such rallies that began last month from various locations along the western border and central parts of the country.