As BJP working president JP Nadda on Thursday unfurled the national flag at the BJP headquarters here celebrating the 73rd Independence Day hoping that India would turn a developed nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat credited Modi’s “willpower” for revoking Article 370 and asserted that the entire society backed it with determination. Bhagwat hoisted the flag at Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir premises in Nagpur.
BJP patriarch LK Advani, 91, unfurled the Tricolour at his residence despite his illness and maintained his decades-old tradition.
BJP working president Nadda said it was a matter of pride to work as citizen of India when the country was taking leap under Modi and hoped that country would become a developed nation.
Nadda described Prime Minister’s speech as unprecedented and historic which has infused energy, trust and pride in countrymen.
RSS, the mother organisation of the BJP, was also effusive in its praise of Prime Minister in taking the bold decision of revoking Article 370 which had earlier accorded autonomy to Jammu & Kashmir.
“People say about the Prime Minister that ‘woh hain to mumkin hai’ (if he is there, everything is possible), which is ‘not wrong’,” Bhagwat said at Nagpur.
Referring to the slogan — popular among BJP supporters — “Modi hai to mumkin hai”, he said “it is not wrong”.
Greeting people during the Independence Day celebrations at the RSS headquarters n Maharashtra, he said, “Article 370 could be removed because the entire society made a resolution, so on this day we renew that resolve again.”
“Today is the day to remember the sacrifices made for the independence and to resolve for it again,” he said.
Bhagwat, without naming Modi and Jammu & Kashmir, said it was the people’s “willpower” which strengthened the country’s leadership to take the decision for that state.
“People say this about the prime minister that if he is there, then everything is possible. It’s ok and not wrong to say that, because finally it depends on the willpower of the person (at the helm),” he said.
“The willpower of the society is necessary to bolster the determination of the people who are at the helm of the country,” the RSS chief said.
“We all wanted benefits of independence experienced by all our states to be experienced in that state. Our citizens of that state should also directly get equal rights under the Constitution,” he said.
“Such was our willpower for the cause which gave power to the leaders to work in that direction,” he said. Bhagwat said even on the first Independence Day, there was a sense of victory along with happiness among people that through their “capabilities”, they defeated the empire which was believed to be undefeatable.
Earlier, RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi hoisted the national flag at the Sangh headquarters located in Mahal area here on the occasion of the Independence Day.
“The country is moving forward to realise the dream of the nation’s great men. The hopes of common people will be fulfilled and India will scale new heights in the world,” Joshi said.
In the national Capital, Advani kept with his decades-long practice of hoisting the national flag at his residence on Independence Day despite suffering from viral fever but had to miss another of his old custom, a visit to the Red Fort where Prime Minister unfurls the tricolour.
Advani’s office had on Wednesday said he would not be hoisting the national flag on Thursday due to viral infection but his condition improved in the morning.
“He was feeling a little better. So we decided to go ahead,” a family source said.
He added that the former Deputy PM had also been going to Red Fort on every Independence Day every year for several decades but had to take a break this year due to his health condition.