New Delhi: 'Mere Pyaare Parivaarjan'. That is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his customary address on Independence Day celebrations by referring to the fellow citizens as his "my dear family members". It is a clear switch from his usual addressing the people of India as his "fellow citizens".
Prime Minister was addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day.
PM Modi began his last Independence Day speech before the 2024 general election with, "My beloved 140 crore family members." Throughout the speech, he was referring to the people of the country as "mere pyaare parivaarjan (my dear family members)".
In his earlier speeches, PM used to refer to the people of the country as "my beloved brothers and sisters".
This is his 10th consecutive Independence day address as prime minister.
Modi also paid tributes to every great who took part in India’s freedom struggle. He recalled the Non-Cooperation Movement and Satyagraha Movement, both progressed under Mahatma Gandhi.
Acknowledging the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru and numerous Bravehearts, PM Modi said that almost everyone from that generation took part in the freedom struggle.
He also reeled out the list of key anniversaries that are being observed this year.
"Today marks the conclusion of the 150th Jayanti year of the great revolutionary and spiritual icon Sri Aurobindo."
Modi's list also found mentions of the 150th year of Swami Dayanand’s Jayanti, and 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgawati which, he said will be celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Modi added the 525 years of paragon of Bhakti Yog Sant Meera Bai to his list.
"Next Republic Day will be the 75th Republic Day," he noted. "In many ways, many opportunities, many possibilities, every moment new inspiration, moment by moment new consciousness, every moment dreams, moment by moment resolution, perhaps there can be no greater opportunity to be engaged in nation building than this," Modi added.
