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By Vikas

| Updated: Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 11:54 [IST]

New Delhi, Aug 15: India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day, today. On August 15, 1947, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the Tricolour for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi to mark India's freedom from the British rule. Since then, Prime Minister's speech from the Red Fort has remained a hallmark of Independence Day celebrations.

Modi addressing from ramparts of Red Fort

PM Modi today touched upon a wide range of topics in his speech. He said codemned the incidents of rapes across the country and stressed on the importance of women empowerment. He said that on Kashmir, the government would follow former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's approach. Modi announced some schemes and highlighted the achievements of his government since 2014.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's speech:

Newest First Oldest First

4:15 PM, 24 Sep

among children to meet the PM

4:13 PM, 24 Sep

PM Modi waves at the crowd

9:06 AM, 15 Aug

Rahul Gandhi wishes nation on Independence Day.

On this Independence Day my best wishes to all Indians. As we celebrate our independence as a nation, let us remember all those brave men and women, our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices and dedication helped us win our independence.

Jai Hind. #HappyIndependenceDay
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 15, 2018

9:04 AM, 15 Aug

Modi meets children at Red Fort. Children enthusiastically rush forward to meet and shake hands with the PM. Children are excited, a healthy jostling can be seen among children to meet the PM.

8:59 AM, 15 Aug

Just before stepping into the car, PM Modi waves at the crowd and cheers erupt among those who have gathered at Red Fort to listen to the PM.

8:58 AM, 15 Aug

Modi waves at kids who in turn wave PM back. Patriotic songs are being played at Red Fort, as PM Modi descends from the podium.

8:55 AM, 15 Aug

"We won't stop, won't bend and we won't get tired. We will write our own destiny, this is new India. we want to touch the sky and create a new India," Prime Minister ends his speech with 'Jai Hind'.

8:54 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi's poetic lines during the speech.. We will neither stop, nor will we bog down; On the path of progress, we will constantly move forward.

8:49 AM, 15 Aug

“I am glad that AFSPA has been revoked in Tripura and Meghalaya, along with several districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Maoists shed blood and then run and hide in the forests. Left Wing Extremism used to affect 126 districts, but now it is limited to just 90,” says Narendra Modi.

8:49 AM, 15 Aug

Women officers commissioned in short service will get opportunity for permanent commission like their male counterparts, says Modi.

8:48 AM, 15 Aug

We want peace, not bullets in Kashmir, says Modi.

8:47 AM, 15 Aug

Modi vows to follow Atal Bihari Vajpayees path to resolve Kashmir issue. Recalls famous "Insaaniyat, Jamooriyat and Kashmiriyat" quote. He says the government will work towards ensuring peace in kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh.

8:43 AM, 15 Aug

I want to tell my Muslim sisters, Triple Talaq is a social evil. We brought in a law to weed out triple talaq menace, but some have opposed it. I assure my Muslim sisters that we will get it passed, says PM.

8:42 AM, 15 Aug

Law order is strong speedy trials are ensuring speedy justice. A trial was completed in Madhya Pradesh in a swift manner, perpetrators have been sent to the gallows, says Modi.

8:40 AM, 15 Aug

Rapes are painful. We have to free the nation from this menace. We have to ensure that such demonic acts are punished, says Modi.

8:39 AM, 15 Aug

Women are contributing to every aspect of nation's development, women are there from Parliament to Pnachayat, says Modi.

8:37 AM, 15 Aug

We should be proud that there are 3 women judges in Supreme Court. Its a matter of pride, says Modi.

8:36 AM, 15 Aug

The healthcare initiatives of the government will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is important to ensure that we free the poor of India from poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare, says PM.

8:36 AM, 15 Aug

I call on honest people, to take part in nation's development...I will not spare the corrupt. Power brokers have vanished from the streets of Delhi, says Modi.

8:32 AM, 15 Aug

I want to tell honest tax payers, that it is their money that is being used for welfare schemes. An honest tax payer should feel that when he is eating food, three more poor families are eating because of tax payed by him, says Modi.

8:30 AM, 15 Aug

Several schemes have been launched in the past, but they never reached people. There were middle men involved to usurp the benefit meant for the poor. There were obstacles which prevented benefits of the government schemes from reaching the poor. We removed this, he says.

8:26 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi announces Aayushman Bharat Scheme to empower the poor.

8:26 AM, 15 Aug

Empowering the poor and eradicating the poverty should be our aim. No poor wants to pass on poverty as legacy to next generation, says Modi.

8:25 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi announces Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna. Poor will be able to get quality health care, no one should be deprived of quality health care, he says.

8:22 AM, 15 Aug

Mahatma Gandhi stressed a lot on cleanliness, We must ensure that nation is clean, this would be our biggest gift to Bapu on his 150th birth anniversary, Modi says.

8:21 AM, 15 Aug

Some made fun of me when i spoke about Swacch Bharat Mission during my first address. Now, WHO has said that improved sanitation levels have saved almost 3 lakh lives, says Modi.

8:19 AM, 15 Aug

Farmers are making progress, they are thinking about solar farming now, says Modi.

8:18 AM, 15 Aug

Recalling Mahatama Gandhi, Modi said Bapu stressed on Khadi and Khadi exports have been higher than ever before.

8:17 AM, 15 Aug

We are progressing in a planned way in the field of agriculture, we are make rapid strides, we have framed policies to truly benefit the farmers, he says.

8:16 AM, 15 Aug

India is heading international solar alliance, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while lauding India's success to launch Mangalyaan. He applauds India's scientists.

6:54 AM, 15 Aug

The crux of Modi’s speech would be about the empowerment of the poor. Modi is likely to speak about opportunity and empowerment of the poor in a big way. He is likely to target the opposition on vote bank politics and also speak about how it did not benefit the needy one bit.

6:54 AM, 15 Aug

Modi’s speech to be live-streamed on YouTube

6:54 AM, 15 Aug

When we provide better weapons for soldiers, develop supply-chains for defence equipment in our country itself, and offer welfare facilities to the soldiers, we create India of the dreams of our freedom fighters, Kovind also said.

6:55 AM, 15 Aug

In his televised address to the nation, President Ramnath Kovind, recalled Mahatma Gandhi's "most noble mantra" on the power of ahinsa (non-violence) being far greater than the power of hinsa (violence), remarks that come against the backdrop of incidents of lynching and mob violence in some parts of the country.

6:58 AM, 15 Aug

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Prasar Bharati has partnered with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the Independence Day programme live online.

7:02 AM, 15 Aug

Former Prime Ministers, Manmohan Singh, H D Deve Gowda are at the Red Fort where the PM will hoist the Tricolour. Union Minister J P Nadda, and senior BJP leader, L K Advani too are present.

7:16 AM, 15 Aug

Prime Minister Modi greets the nation on the occasion of India’s 72nd Independence Day

Independence Day greetings to the people of India. Jai Hind! #IndependenceDayIndia

स्वतंत्रता दिवस के शुभ अवसर पर सभी देशवासियों को शुभकामनाएं! जय हिंद!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018

7:17 AM, 15 Aug

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

7:20 AM, 15 Aug

Red Ford Fort has been put on heavy security cover. There are 70,000 Delhi Police personnel guarding the national capital and close to 10,000 cops have been deployed at the Fort.

7:24 AM, 15 Aug

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Red Fort, to address the nation shortly.

7:30 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi unfurls the national flag at Red Fort.

7:34 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi wishes the nation on Independence Day. "Country has reached heights, there is optimism around," he says.

7:37 AM, 15 Aug

"We are celebrating Independence Day at a time when women have done us proud, women have scaled the Everest, they have gone acrosse the world and made Tricolour proud," Modi says.

7:40 AM, 15 Aug

"Bills were passed in Parliament that would empower the backward, several other important were passed," Modi says.

7:40 AM, 15 Aug

We re celebrating Independence day at a time when therte is optimism about economy. India is now 6th largest economy in the world, says Modi.

7:41 AM, 15 Aug

For the tricolour to fly high, our armed forces are to to credited. I bow to our forces who have kept the country safe, he says.

7:43 AM, 15 Aug

There were good rains across the country, it is good for farmers. But there is also suffering due to floods. I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to floods, says Modi.

7:44 AM, 15 Aug

PM Modi recalls a quote by Subramanian Bharti.

7:48 AM, 15 Aug

When 125 crore people make up their minds, then everything is possible.. In 2014, people did not form government, they decided to make the nation, says Modi.

7:49 AM, 15 Aug

The recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission, says Modi.

7:52 AM, 15 Aug

Country has progressed rapidly since 2014. Weather constructing toilets, providing electricity to villages or providing LPG connections, there has been significant progress, says Modi.

7:54 AM, 15 Aug

In a veiled attack on UPA government, Modi said that had the pace of electrification of villages been the same as it was in 2013, then it would have taken decades more. "If laying of fibre optics had been done at the same pace at it was till 2013, it would have taken many decades more" he says.

7:59 AM, 15 Aug

Resolve of the government is important. We were committed to wipe out hoarding of balck money. We brought in laws, we brought in economic offenders act... We have acted against benami properties, says PM.

8:00 AM, 15 Aug

We are very proud of what we have achieved but at the same time, we also have to look at where we have come from. That is when we will realize the unbelievable strides the nation has taken, says PM.

8:01 AM, 15 Aug

There were times when people used to see Indian economy as risky, now the same people see it a positive way. We have climbed up the rankings in ease of doing business, he says.

8:02 AM, 15 Aug

There used to be policy paralysis, we used to seen as one of the fragile five. Now, India has become a destination for investment, Modi says.

8:05 AM, 15 Aug

Who did not want the GST to be passed, yet it was pending for years. Last year GST became a reality.I want to thank the business community for the success of the GST, he says.

8:06 AM, 15 Aug

We used to get only negative news from the North East, now even remotest villages of the North East have been electrified, Modi says.

8:07 AM, 15 Aug

People of North East used to feel that Delhi was far away, now we have brought Delhi closer to North East, he says.

8:10 AM, 15 Aug

Not only big cities, but even tier 2 and tier 3 cities have become part of development. E way and i way have reached smaller times, he says.