Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the diversity of India and said that while our talent may be restricted by language barriers, pride should be taken in the variety of languages that exist in the country.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day, Modi said India's strengths are diversity and democracy.
"We have seen that sometimes our talent gets tied in the shackles of language. This is the result of slave mentality. We should be proud of every language of our country. We may or may not know the language, but we should be proud that it is the language of my country and it is the language given to the world by our ancestors," he said.
He also said India's diversity needs to be celebrated.
"India is mother of democracy, diversity is its strength," the prime minister said.
"Our nation has proved that we have an inherent strength from our diversity and the common thread of patriotism makes India unshakeable," Modi said.
He also said that India's strength comes in the diverse ways in which things are perceived by people, which makes the country a globally appealing.
"We are the people who see Shiva in the living entity, we are the people who see Narayan in the male, we are the people who call the woman as Narayani, we are the people who see the divine in the plant, we are people who consider the river as mother, we are the people who see Shankar in pebbles," he said.
Modi said that the peaceful co-existence of innumerable traditions and creeds are India's pride.
"For us all are equal. No one is inferior or superior; all are our own," he said.
The prime minister said the diversity of India has proved priceless for the country.
"India's diversity, which others once thought was a burden to the country, is proven to be the priceless power of India. A strong testimony of its power.
"The world was not cognizant that India has an inherent potential of strong culture and values, a bond of thoughts deeply embedded in mind and soul; and that is - India is mother of democracy.
"And when those who have democracy pulsating in their minds walk with determination and resolve, it augurs doom for the most powerful sultanates of the world.
"This mother of democracy, our India has proven to all that we have this invaluable strength," he said.
