Independence Day LIVE | Hosting 2036 Olympics is India's dream, preparations on: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (August 15) said a "secular civil code" is the need of the hour as the existing set of laws as "communal civil code" and discriminatory.

In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi said, "A large section of the country believes, which is true also, that the civil code is actually in a way is a communal civil code. It discriminates (among people)." He said laws which divide the country on communal lines and become a reason for inequality have no place in a modern society.

"I would say, it is the need of the hour that India should have a secular civil code. We have lived 75 years with a communal civil code. Now, we have to move towards a secular civil code. Only then would religion-based discrimination end. It would also end the disconnect the common people feel," he said.

The prime minister noted that the Supreme Court has given various directions in this regard. The spirit of the Constitution also encourages such a code, he said, referring to Article 44 under the Directive Principles of State Policy.

It states that it is the duty of the State to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India.

"It is our responsibility to fulfil the dream of the makers of our Constitution. I believe there should be a serious discussion on the subject," he said.

In the next five years, 75,000 more medical seats will be created in the country, Modi said.

"Around 25,000 youths every year go abroad for medical education and they go to such countries, I get surprised when I hear about them. So we have decided, 75,000 new seats will be created in the medical line in the next five years," the prime minister said.

'Need to stop atrocities on women'

In a veiled attack on the TMC government in West Bengal, Modi said there is a need to stop atrocities against women in the country. His remarks come amid a nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor in Kolkata on August 9. He said, “I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening.”

"There is public outrage over atrocities against our mothers and sisters. I feel this outrage. The country, the society, our state governments need to take this seriously. Crimes against women must be probed as soon as possible, those involved in demonic acts must face strict punishment at the earliest, this is necessary to create faith in society," the Prime Minister said, apparently referring to the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

He said that when incidents of violence against women take place, there is a lot of discussion in the media. "But when such perverted people get punishment, it is not seen prominently in news. Time demands that there is widespread discussion on punishments too so that criminals are scared. It is important to create this fear," he added.

'Reforms meant to take country forward'

The prime minister asserted that India's 140 crore citizens can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed country if they walk shoulder to shoulder with united resolve.

He said his government has worked to break the mindset of living with status quo by rolling out big reforms aimed at changing the lives of the middle class and the poor.

He said previous governments had a "chalta hai" (lackadaisical) approach to reforms and development. "There was an environment of status quo. We had to break that mindset. The common man wanted change, but his dreams were not appreciated and he kept waiting for reforms. We implemented big reforms, for the poor, the middle class, deprived sections of the society and youth," he added.

The commitment to reforms is the blueprint for growth and is not borne of any political compulsion but the dedication to nation first. In this context, Modi noted the growth strength of the banking sector, which he added has powered the progress in every sector. In his address on the country's 78th Independence Day, Modi said it is a day to pay tribute to the countless people who made sacrifices and struggled for the country's freedom. "The country is indebted to them," he said. The surge in cases of such disasters is a matter of concern, he added.

Modi also paid condolences to families who lost their loved ones in recent national disasters.

His first Independence Day address of his third term takes him past Manmohan Singh, who unfurled the tricolour 10 times from the ramparts of Red Fort during 2004-2014, and places him behind Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who did the honours 17 and 16 times respectively.

Before reaching Red Fort, he paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial.

Modi said 140 crore citizens of India can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed India if they walk shoulder to shoulder with united resolve. There may be challenges and shortages of resources but people united in their goal can overcome them to achieve their target, he added.

Expresses firm resolve for 'Viksit Bharat'

Speaking of his goal for 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, he said people from all corners of the country and communities have offered suggestions for the agenda. He recounted many of these ideas-- including reform in justice system, campaign for capacity building, developing India's traditional systems of medicine.

He cited his government's success in taking electricity to unelectrified areas, piped water to crores of homes, expanding 'vocal for local' programme and boosting renewable energy to assert that it has infused a new confidence and consciousness among people.

The nation feels proud when the world wants to learn from its achievements in the fintech sector, Modi said.

(With agency inputs)