In an apparent swipe at previous Congress dispensations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that attempts were made after independence to erase the contribution of many great heroes, besides the country’s culture and values; the country is now correcting mistakes of the past and reclaiming those heroes and values.
"The freedom struggle involved the penance of lakhs of countrymen. But efforts were made to disregard or limit their role in history. But, today, after decades of independence, the country is correcting those mistakes".
The prime minister was possibly referring to the role of ‘Netaji’ Subhas Chandra Bose, who had won the Congress presidency in 1938. In his second presidential term, he quit the Congress after disagreements with Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. He then formed the Azad Hind Fauj and pursued the path of armed revolution.
Addressing a gathering after unveiling a hologram statue of Netaji at the India Gate on the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter, Modi also said no power in the world can prevent the country from achieving its goal of building a 'new India' before the hundredth year of independence in 2047.
‘‘Netaji used to say, ‘Never lose faith in the dream of independent India, there is no power in the world that can shake India.’ Today we have a goal to fulfil the dream, and we have a target to build a New India before 100 years of independence," PM Modi said.
He also exhorted people to take inspiration from Netaji’s "can do" and "will do" spirit. “Netaji’s statue will not only remind us of our duties to the nation but also inspire the generations to come," the PM added.
