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PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi has pledged to raise millions out of poverty and turn India into a developed country in the next quarter century.
Marking 75 years since independence from British rule, Mr Modi addressed the country today from New Delhi’s 17th-century Mughal-era Red Fort, saying the world is looking toward India to help resolve global issues.
He claimed India would be guided by the ideals of “self-reliance and the spirit of international partnership” to attain excellence in science and technology, establish industries, and attain food and energy security.
Mr Modi said millions of people were commemorating the 75th anniversary of independence by hoisting national flags at their homes and businesses for three days as part of a government campaign of “awakening the spirit of patriotism in every heart.”
The main opposition Congress party accused the Modi government of leaving opposition parties out of the celebrations.
“There were special functions in parliament’s historic Central Hall to mark the 25th, 50th and 60th anniversary of India’s independence,” said Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh.
“Sadly, nothing like that has been organised for the 75th anniversary, which has been reduced to an occasion to glorify the ‘sarvagyaani’ [‘know-all,’ referring to Mr Modi].”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) warned on Sunday that Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist government was leading a counter-revolution.
“The independence struggle saw millions and millions of ordinary people, men and women, coming out to challenge British rule; tens of thousands gave their lives in the struggle,” the party said in an article in its newspaper, People’s Democracy.
“That is how one of the biggest mass movements in modern history got India its freedom.
“The authoritarian Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] regime … is the very antithesis of this historic struggle and the people’s aspirations for a better life, free from class exploitation and social oppression.
“All political parties, mass organisations and citizens’ groups who value democracy, secularism, social and economic justice should spare no effort to unite to fight the Hindutva-corporate regime so as to take the emancipatory goals of the freedom struggle forward.”
