Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on Monday sought to aspire the country to make a major leap forward in the “Amrit Kaal” of the next 25 years even as he asserted that the world has realised “political stability, dynamism in policies and speed in decision making” in India.

In his 83-minute speech, delivered without the aid of teleprompter, the  Prime Minister  invoked the power of “nari shakti”, affirming that the next 25 years will belong to women, and sought to draw attention to  “two big challenges” of  “ corruption and  nepotism”  and  asked countrymen to support him in his “fight” against them.

Addressing the country from the ramparts of Red fort, the Prime Minister said, “We started our journey with the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, but gradually the countrymen have added more colours to it with Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. So, we have seen our collective power and collective potential.”

Dressed in a traditional kurta and churidar pyjama paired with a blue jacket and a white “safa” with tricolour stripes, Modi unfurled the national flag amid a 21-gun salute by the indigenously-developed howitzer gun, ATAGS, which he noted with pride was the first from Red Fort in 75 years.

Modi also recalled that in 2014 he was the “first Indian born in free India”, who got the privilege to “sing praises of glory to my dear countrymen from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort”.

The Prime Minister said India has gained enormous confidence in the comity of nations with its 75 years of journey and is ready to make major leap forward in the “Amrit Kaal” of next 25 years.

“One hundred and thirty crore countrymen after several decades of experience have shown the world the importance of a stable Government, the power of political stability, policies and how trust develops in the policies. The world too is now able to understand it. And now when there is political stability, dynamism in policies, speed in decision making, ubiquity and universal trust, then everyone becomes a partner in development”, he said.

“The nation should now only be setting big goals. That big goal is a developed India and nothing less,” Modi declared in his ninth consecutive address from the historic Fort as he also spoke about challenges of dynastic politics. India has entered a decisive era in its battle against corruption, which, he said, is eating the country like termites. “Corruption hollowing the country like a termite, we’ve to fight it. We’ve to raise awareness against ‘Parivaarwaad’ to realise the strength of our institutions, to take the country forward on the basis of merit,” he said.

Making it clear that the battle against twin evils is needed to move forward decisively, Modi said, “Those who looted India in the past Governments are paying for their sins now.  We are confiscating their ill-gotten gains. I need your support in this fight against corruption. We need to take on both corruption and the corrupt. Several institutions in India have been shackled by nepotism. It is not limited to just politics. This promotes corruption. We need to free the country from this nepotism as this is impeding the growth of the nation.”

Modi also rebutted  the Opposition’s charge that his Government was using federal agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to target its leaders over alleged corruption while slamming  “parivarvad and bhai-bhatijavad” (dynasty and nepotism).

“People saw that that some persons do not have enough space to hide their illicit money while many in the country do not have enough space to live, he said in an obvious pointer to the recovery of the huge amount of allegedly unaccounted cash and other assets during raids at the premises of some leaders of Opposition parties,” he said.

Modi took on the efforts to “glorify” them, an apparent reference to the Opposition parties defending those accused of corruption.

 “This mindset is not going to end unless there is a feeling of “nafrat” (hatred) for corruption and the corrupt and people are forced to look down upon them socially.”

Along with corruption, Prime Minister simultaneously also strongly attacked dynastic politics.

 “In politics too, the dynasty has done the most injustice to the country’s strength. Dynastic politics is aimed at a family’s welfare and has no interest in the country’s welfare,” he said, asking people to join him in purifying Indian politics and institutions to rid the country of this to take the country forward.

Otherwise, everybody feels frustrated because they believe they did not get their due because they had no relatives to promote them, he added. This mindset is not good for any country, he said.

The Prime Minister said under his Government, he said, over Rs two lakh crore which would have gone in wrong hands earlier has now been invested in the the country’s development using direct benefits transfer.

“We are trying to bring back those who ran away after looting banks in the previous governments. We have seized their assets. Many people have been forced to live in jails. Our effort is that those who have looted the country pay back and we are creating conditions for it.”

 “Even the big people will not be able to escape,” he said.

Modi said it was a historic day for India and the completion of 75 years of Independence was a time to move forward with a new resolve and also spoke strongly for cooperative federalism, celebrating the country’s diversity, unity among citizens, gender equality, and research and innovation.

The Prime Minister cautioned the countrymen against complacency over the country’s achievements in the last 75 years, and said it has to now focus its strength on fulfilling the “Panch Pran” in the next 25 years in the run up to the centenary of its independence.

He spelt out the five pledges as a resolve for a developed India; removing any trace of the colonial mindset; taking pride in our legacy; our strength of unity; and fulfilling the duties of citizens, which include Prime Minister and Chief Ministers as well.

“We have to move forward with these five resolves in mind and take up the responsibility to fulfil the dreams of our freedom fighters in the next 25 years when we attain 100 years of independence,” Modi said.

In his address, the Prime Minister specifically sought countrymen to correct their conduct towards women and  take a pledge to change it for the better to not to lower their dignity. Modi said respect for women is an important pillar for India’s growth and stressed the need to extend support to “Nari Shakti”.

“A distortion has crept in our conduct and we at times insult women,” he said, and asked, “Can we take a pledge to get rid of this from our behaviour and values?”

 It is important that in speech and conduct “we do nothing that lowers the dignity of women”, he said.

 Speaking on the significance of a united nation, Modi said India has much to teach the world on the concept of unity which begins with the family structure.

 Gender equality is the key to a united India, he said, adding that without equal importance to sons and daughters in family structures, the idea of unity will be lost.

 “We should celebrate the diversity of India....At home too, the roots of unity are sowed when both the son and the daughter are equal. If they are not, the mantra of unity cannot reverberate. I hope we can get rid of this attitude of upper-lower or mine-others,” Modi said.

 “Gender equality is a crucial parameter of unity,” the prime minister said. He further said women power is present in all sectors of society and significant for the growth of the country.

 “If we look at ‘nari shakti’ in law, education, science and police, our daughters and mothers are making major contributions to India,” Modi said.

He said citizens are proud of the strength of the women of India like Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Rani Chennamma, and Begum Hazrat Mahal. Indian women symbolise sacrifice and struggle, Modi added