New Delhi, Aug 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began India's 79th Independence Day celebrations with a visit to Rajghat, where he paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, before heading to the Red Fort for his address to the nation. In his speech, PM Modi expressed the pride and joy of the occasion, saying, "This festival of Independence is a moment of pride and full of joy."
Earlier, PM Modi extended his Independence Day greetings on social media, writing, “Wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day. May this day inspire us to keep working even harder to realize the dreams of our freedom fighters and build a 'Viksit Bharat.' Jai Hind!”
Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari were arrived at the Red Fort at around 7 am, followed by the Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi.