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Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils a plaque as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma looks on, to commemorate the flag-hoisting event to mark the 75th anniversary of the ‘Azad Hind government’ headed by Subhas Chandra Bose, at Red Fort in New Delhi on Sunday.(PTI)[/caption]
New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI): A national award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will be given every year to police personnel who do excellent work in rescue and relief operations during any kind of disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday.
The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose’s declaration of the formation of India’s first independent government -- the Azad Hind Government on October 21, 1943
“From this year onwards, we will give an award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to police personnel who do exemplary work while rescuing and providing relief to people during the time of any disaster,” the prime minister said in his address after dedicating to the nation a police memorial and museum here
Modi said the award will be announced on January 23, Netaji’s birthday
The Prime Minister said the country cannot forget the services rendered by the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel in rescue and relief works during the time of any disaster
“These NDRF and SDRF personnel are our brave policemen. They are from police forces. The country will not forget their bravery, dedication and sacrifice. Many people even do not know who they are, when they rescue people and provide relief during the collapse of a building, when there is a fire or when there is a train accident,” he said in a voice choked with emotions.
The NDRF and SDRF are constituted with personnel from the central paramilitary forces and state police organisations respectively.
Threats to Indian sovereignty will be answered with double strength
Recalling the contribution of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) in the freedom movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government was committed to taking “big and bold” decisions and that the Indian Army was being modernised as per Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s vision.
The Azad Hind government was raised by Bose during the freedom movement.
Modi said that “even after 70 years of Independence, Netaji’s dreams have not been fulfilled”.
He acknowledged that India has “marched several steps ahead” in the years since Independence but maintained that it was yet to reach new heights of glory.
Modi claimed that the NDA government was committed to “achieve this goal” by going ahead with the vision of a new India “at a time when destructive forces are attacking us”.
This vision of new India, Modi stressed, is in line with what Bose had imagined.
“It is the duty of every Indian to be inspired by Netaji, to fight such forces, to defeat them, and to contribute to nation building in their full capacity,” he said.
The Prime Minister also blamed the previous governments for looking at the country with an “English perspective”.
“Our government is changing this,” he said, insisting that the country’s sovereignty was an important aspect of Bose’s vision.
Modi recalled Bose’s words: “With the power of weapons and sacrifice of blood, you have to achieve freedom and then when the country will be free, you will have to make a steady army for the nation, whose work will be to protect our freedom”.
“Today I can say that India is moving towards the creation of an Army that was visioned by Netaji. Josh, Junoon aur Jazba, these have been parts of our Army for long but now technique and modern weapons and equipments are also being combined with them.
“The strength of our Army has always been for self protection, and it will remain so in the future too,” he maintained.
Modi stressed that India has “never been greedy” for somebody else’s land.
“This has been our history. But whosoever poses a threat to Indian sovereignty will be answered with double strength. Several attempts have been made in the past four years to strengthen our Army.
“The best technology is being made available to Indian Army. This government has the courage to take big and bold decisions. And this will continue in the future too. From surgical strikes to making the Netaji files public, the decisions have been made by only our government. The dreams that were envisioned by Netaji have been carried forward only by this government,” he said.
Traditionally, the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day, and in a first Modi did so on Sunday because soldiers of the Indian National Army faced trails by the British at Red Fort.
Modi also laid the foundation stone of a museum dedicated to the Azad Hind Fauj at the Red Fort.
