INDIA celebrated 67 years of freedom on August 15

15th of August 1947 is an important day for all Indians. On that day Indians got freedom from the British. The Union Jack was brought down and for the first time, our National Flag, flew over the Red Fort, Delhi. It was achieved by great efforts made by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Moulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Tanguturi Prakasam, C. Rajagopalachari and many others.

Many youngmen like Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Katta Bomman scarified their lives for the cause of freedom. It was an occasion of jubilation for the entire nation. On 15th of August, 1947 people throughout the country celebrated the day in a festive fervor.

That day is a national holiday for all including workers in shops and factories. Independence Day celebrations are conducted on a set pattern every year. The main function is held at the Red Fort, New Delhi. The Prime Minister takes the ceremonial salute and guard of honour from the three wings of the defence forces. After that he unfurls the National Flag on the ramparts of the Red Fort. National Anthem is sung, and a 21 gun-salute is given.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech on Aug. 15, 2013 on the anniversary of India's independence.

My dear fellow-citizens,

Brothers, sisters and dear children,

I greet you all on this Independence Day.

Today is certainly a day of joy for us. But on this celebration of independence we also feel pain in our hearts that our brothers and sisters in Uttarakhand had to face devastation about two months back. Our deepest sympathies are with all the families that suffered loss of life or property. I want to assure the people of Uttarakhand today that the whole country stands with them in this moment of crisis. Our government is working with all the resources at its command to rehabilitate those whose houses have been destroyed and rebuild damaged infrastructure.

Our army, paramilitary forces and numerous officers and staff of the Central and State governments worked in difficult conditions in partnership with the common people to perform an outstanding task in providing relief to those who were stranded. We especially pay homage to the officers and men of the Air Force, ITBP and NDRF who sacrificed their lives to save others.

We are also deeply pained that we lost the submarine, INS Sindurakshak in an accident yesterday. Eighteen brave sailors are feared to have lost their lives. The accident is all the more painful because the Navy had recently achieved two major successes in the form of its first nuclear submarine, INS Arihant and the aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

Brothers and Sisters,

We have recently issued an Ordinance towards a Food Security law. The Food Security Bill is now before Parliament and we hope it will be passed shortly. This law will benefit 75 percent of our rural population and half of our urban population. Under the law, about 81 crore Indians would be entitled to receive rice at 3 Rupees per kg, wheat at 2 Rupees per kg and coarse grains at 1 Rupee per kg. This is the largest effort of its kind in the whole world.

We have been able to implement this law only because of the hard work of our farmers. Our food-grain production reached a record level of 25.9 crore ton in 2011-12.

The average annual rate of agricultural growth in the 11th Plan was 3.6, which is more than both the 9th and 10th Plan levels.

We now see clear indications of enhanced economic prosperity in our rural areas. In the period 2004 to 2011, rural per-capita consumption has increased four times faster than earlier.

Rural wages have also increased much faster in this period. MNREGA provides employment to crores of people in rural areas.

Unlike in the past, foreign policy issues found no mention in his 40-minute speech on the 67^th Independence Day from the historic 17th century Mughal monument of Red Fort. 

PM admitted that we do need a framework in which the judiciary becomes more accountable. 

"It is not appropriate to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal. We believe that any such provision would go against the independence of the judiciary. 

"It is with this aim that we have introduced the Judicial Accountability Bill in Parliament. I am confident this bill will be passed soon," he said.