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8 quotes from PM Modi's 65 minute I-Day extempore

August 15, 2014 11:52 IST

Here's a collection of quotes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort

Quote # 1

"I can promise you. If you work 12 hours, I will work 13. If you work 14 hours, I will work 15 hours. Why? Because I am not a Pradhan Mantri, but a Pradhan Sevak."

Quote # 2

"From ramparts of the Red Fort, I would like to call people of the world to 'come, make in India'. I want to tell the global companies that we have skill, talent and discipline... From electronics to electricals, from chemicals to pharmaceuticals, come, make in India. Paper to plastic, automobiles to agricultural products, come, make in India, from satellite to submarine, come, make in India. We have the capabilities. Come here and manufacture in India. Sell the products anywhere in the world but manufacture here... we have the power, come I am inviting you."

Quote # 3

"I want to ask parents, when daughters turn 11 or 14, they keep a tab on their movements. Have these parents ever asked their sons where they have been going, who they have been meeting? Rapists are somebody's sons as well! Parents must take the responsibility to ensure that their sons don't go the wrong direction."

Quote # 4

"India's sex ratio is 1000 boys for 940 girls. Who creates this disparity? It isn't God. Don't fill your coffers by sacrificing the mother's womb. People feel that sons will take care of them when they are old. But I have seen aged parents in old-age homes. I have seen families where one daughter serves parents more than five sons."

Quote # 5

"The mantra of our country's youth should be to at least make 1 product that we import. Don't compromise in manufacturing; Stress on Zero defect, Zero effect (impact of environment). Our manufacturing should have zero defect so that our
products should not be rejected in the global market. Besides, we should also keep in mind that manufacturing should not have
any negative impact on our environment."

Quote # 6

"I am an outsider in New Delhi. I have stayed away from the elite in this city. In the 2 months I have been here, I now have an insider view. I was astonished. I saw many governments functioning within a government. One department fighting the other. So we are trying to break this wall; we want to have one mission and target: Take the nation forward."

Quote # 7

"Can someone tell me, whatever we are doing, have we asked ourselves if our work has helped the poor or come to benefit the nation in any way? We should come out of the 'Why should I care' attitude and dedicate ourselves to the nation's progress."

Quote # 8

"India used to be known as the land of snake charmers. Today, our IT professionals have left the world spellbound."