Venu Menon
Wellington, August 15,2024
High Commissioner of India to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan today hoisted the tricolour at the Indian High Commission in Wellington to mark the 78th Independence Day of India.
High Commissioner Bhushan then read out Indian President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation delivered on Independence eve.
In her address, the President said Independence Day “makes us recall the days when the nation was under a foreign rule. Patriotic and brave souls took immense risks and made supreme sacrifices. We salute their memory.”
The President referred to Mahatma Gandhi as “our lodestar” who unified the “diversity of traditions and their expressions.”
The President cited other leaders of the Freedom Movement such as Sardar Patel, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and Babasaheb Ambedkar, among others.
The President also invoked tribal leaders such as Tilka Manjhi, Birsa Munda, Laxman Naik and Phulo Jhano, “among the many whose sacrifices are now being honoured.”
On Independence eve, the nation observed Vibhajn Vibhishika Smriti Diwas to recall the horrors of Partition, when millions suffered forced migration as India was divided. “We recall the unparalleled human tragedy and stand with the families that were torn asunder,” the President noted.
Referencing the general elections held in India this year, the President said the number of eligible voters stood at nearly 97 crore. “This was a historic record, making it the largest electoral exercise humankind has ever witnessed.”
India’s successful conduct of elections strengthened democratic forces around the world, she noted.
From 2021 to 2024, India’s economy grew by 8% annually, which has drastically reduced the number of people living below the poverty line. Those who continue to suffer from poverty are benefiting from schemes such as the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which provides free ration to about 80 crore people.
The President also noted that India has become the fifth largest economy in the world, and is poised to become one of the top three economies soon.
Farmers have ensured India is self-reliant in agriculture, infrastructure has received a boost, and the government has promoted sectors such as semi-conductors and Artificial Intelligence (AI), all of which have made India an even more attractive investment destination and catapulted it among the developed nations.
India’s successful completion of its G20 presidency has ensured it represents the voice of the Global South.
The President quoted B. R. Ambedkar on the need to “make our political democracy a social democracy as well. Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy.”
In this context, President Murmu pointed to the unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised sections of society. For instance, PM- SURAJ aims to provide direct financial assistance to people from marginalised communities. No sanitation workers “will have to manually engage in the hazardous task of sewer and septic tank cleaning,” the President declared.
The President highlighted the importance of gender justice and climate justice.
“In our society, women are considered not only equal, but even more than equal. However, they have also suffered from traditional prejudices. But I am glad to note that the government has given equal importance to women’s welfare and women’s empowerment. The Budget allocation for this purpose has more than tripled in the last decade.”
The President said the “most heartening development on this front has been the significant improvement in the sex ratio at birth,” with empowerment schemes such as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhi Niyam.
The President said climate change had become a reality that was more challenging for developing nations and India had “already made more progress in that direction than expected.”
The President highlighted the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which will be adopted from July, thus removing “one more relic of the colonial era.” The new code ensures justice for crime victims “instead of focusing on punishment alone.”
The President saw this change “as a tribute to the freedom fighters.”
The President identified the youth as the country’s future resource, which guided the formulation of the National Education Policy launched in 2020. The government’s employment and upskilling initiatives will benefit 4.1 crore youth over five years, the President pointed out. This and other measures form the cornerstone of building Viksit Bharat.
The President noted India’s unprecedented advances in space exploration and eagerly looked forward to the launch of the Gagan Yaan Mission next year, “which will take a team of Indian astronauts into space aboard India’s first human spaceflight.”
The President applauded the contribution of Indian athletes in the recent Paris Olympics, India’s victory in the T-20 World Cup, and the strides made by Indian players in chess, badminton and tennis.
The President closed her address by saluting “our brave jawans of the Armed Forces who guard our freedom, risking their lives,” as well as the police and security personnel “who keep vigil all across the country.” She also extended her greetings to the members of the judiciary, the civil services, officials in overseas missions and the diaspora.
Addressing the gathering, Wellington Indian Association (WIA) President Manisha Morar spoke of the celebration of Indian Independence by early migrants in Wellington in 1947. “The Wellington Indian communities gathered for the first picnic at Hutt Park, proudly parading the Indian tricolour, held high.” This moment was documented vividly in the WIA records, Morar noted. The number of Indians living in Wellington at that time was less than 400, she pointed out.
She said President Murmu’s recent visit had a profound impact on the Indian community in Wellington. “She is a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the incredible potential and resilience of women everywhere,” Morar said, adding, “Her Excellency Neeta Bhushan is the first female Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand.”
Morar praised High Commissioner Bhushan’s “unwavering commitment to our community and your exemplary service has been valuable.”
The variety entertainment on the occasion, with Ishant Ghulyani of the Indian High Commission as the emcee, included song and dance routines performed by members of the diaspora.
Venu Menon is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Wellington
