Deciding to p roject himself as the "Prime Servant (Sevak)" of India rather than as the "Prime Minister" of India, Narendra Modi told his first Independence Day address audience that he saw himself as an outsider in front of Delhi's elite class.
Speaking on the occasion of the nation's 68th Independence Day, he, however, claimed that during the past three months in office, he had been able to acquire an "insider's view" of the government that he was in charge of.
Prime Minister Modi said, "When I came to Delhi and acquired an insider's view, I was both surprised and shocked. I saw governments within government and divisions within departments. I even saw and heard one department desiring and wanting to go to court against another department. Both are part of one government. I was surprised."
"I also saw several different governments functioning. There were differences between various departments," he added.
"Newspapers and television channels showed reports of offices being opened on time and of bureaucrats being punctual. This sort of news being aired on prime time and on various channels left me very unhappy. Is this the sort of news we should be projecting about ourselves as a nation? The government is not an assembled entity, but an organic entity. I have attempted to break walls", said Prime Minister Modi.
Expressing his confidence in every government employee, Modi said, "I have come from outside Delhi, but let me assure you that each government employee, from a simple clerk to the Cabinet Secretary, is competent and talented, and I promise you, I will harness that."
"Everybody asks, 'what is it in this for me', and if he doesn't get an answer, then the next question is 'so why should I bother'; we have to go beyond this. Not everything is for us; few things are for the nation as well", he added.
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Earlier, a turbaned Prime Minister unfurled the flag from ramparts of the Red Fort after inspecting a tri-services guard of honour. Thereafter, he began his first address to the nation.
After hoisting the National Flag from the ramparts of Red Fort, he began his addressal to the nation.
Before arriving at the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi also paid homage at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat.