Narendra Modi receives suggestions on themes for Independence Day speech; education, girls' literacy among submissions

New Delhi: Education, cleanliness, environment, digitisation and girls’ literacy are the themes regarding which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received most of the suggestions from the public for inclusion in his upcoming Independence Day address. [caption id=“attachment_3897097” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reuters[/caption] The suggestions have been made by the people in response to the prime minister’s invitation to them to share their ideas and inputs to be included in his Independence Day address, according to official sources. In his last ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme on 30 July, Modi had said, “On 15 August, I get an opportunity to communicate with the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort. “I am merely an instrument. It is not one single person who makes that address, but it is the collective voice of 1.25 billion of my countrymen that resounds from the Red Fort.” This has generated a tremendous response and thousands of comments and views are pouring in on the specially-created open forums on ‘Narendra Modi App’ and ‘MyGov’ portal, the sources said. Over 6,000 comments were received on the Narendra Modi App while more than 2,000 suggestions were made on ‘MyGov’ portal, they said. Most of the suggestions relate to the issues of education, ‘swachh bharat’, environment conservation, digitisation and ‘Beti Padhao’, the sources said. Modi, a believer in participative governance, regularly invites people to share their opinions and views on various subjects and incorporates people’s suggestions in his speeches. This is the routine he has particularly followed with regard to his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.