75 Years of Independence: PM Launches ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’

PM Modi. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on Friday, 12 March, from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad. The Mahotsav will mark 75 years of India’s Independence.

‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ will be a 75-week affair, which will be celebrated by all states, Union territories and the Centre.

“Today, is the first day of the Amrit Mahotsav of independence. It has started 75 weeks before 15 August 2022 and will run till 15 August 2023.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Modi on Friday also flagged off a 386-kilometre ‘Dandi March’ as a symbolic gesture to mark 91 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic salt march. He flagged off the padayatra that will start from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and end at Dandi in Navsari district.

“I bow to all the great personalities who participated in India’s freedom struggle and led the country.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Ideas, Achievements Among 5 Pillars

Modi listed five pillars that will inspire the dreams and duties of Independent India. “The five pillars – freedom struggle, ideas at 75, achievements at 75, actions and resolve at 75 – will inspire the country to move forward,” he said.

Modi highlighted the importance of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent salt march, noting that salt was a “symbol of India's self-reliance. Along with the values of India, the British also hurt this self-reliance”.

“The people of India had to depend on salt coming from England. Gandhi ji understood the pain and started the movement. Soon, it became the movement of every Indian,” Modi said.

Hope to Humanity

Modi said that India can never forget Lokmanya Tilak’s demand for ‘Purna Swaraj’, Azaad Hind Fauj’s ‘Dilli Chalo’ call, and the Quit India movement.

He named revolutionary leaders, like Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Rani Lakshmibai, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Ambedkar, Subhash Chandra Bose, Maulana Azad, Veer Savarkar and others, from whom the country continues to draw inspiration.

He added, India, the ‘mother of democracy’, is proud of its Constitution and its democratic tradition is moving ahead by strengthening it.

“Even today, the achievements of India are are lighting up the whole world. Our self-sufficiency is going to speed up development across the world.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

On Friday morning, PM Modi visited the Sabarmati Ashram and paid a floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

He signed the visitors’ book with a message: “During this festival, the country will remember every step and moment of the independence movement and move forward with new energy for future development. I believe that with Bapu’s blessings, we shall perform our duty and prove the objective of this Amrit Mahotsav,” The Indian Express quoted.