Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the ‘Kartavya Path’ – a stretch of the Central Vista from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. He also unveiled statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi said, India has received new energy and inspiration today as nation is breaking free of the shackles of colonisation during the ‘Amrit Kaal’. Congratulating the people of India for shedding yet another symbol of colonialism, the Prime Minister said ‘Kingsway’ is now history and a new era has begun in the form of Kartvyapath. He emphasised that Rajpath was for the British for whom the people of India were slaves and was a symbol of colonialism. He expressed pride that its architecture has changed and its spirit has also changed.
Appreciating the hard work of the Shramjeevis who worked for redeveloped Central Vista, he invited them as his special guests on next year’s Republic Day. He said, history has been rewritten as the huge statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has been installed near the India Gate where a statue of a representative of the Britishers used to stand during British rule. He added that with the installation of the statue, a new path has been established for an empowered India.
Highlighting the many decisions taken by his government in the last eight years which had the imprint of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Prime Minister stressed that Netaji was the first head of ‘Akhand Bharat’ who unfurled the national flag in the Andaman & Nicobar islands. He pointed out that his government has changed various laws that were there since the time of the British. Underlining the importance of National Education Policy, Mr Modi said the nation’s youth are being liberated from the compulsion of foreign language.
Recalling the sacrifice and valour of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Mr Modi said, India’s glorious history runs as life blood among nation’s youth. He said, India would have reached unprecedented heights, if country had followed the vision of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Prime Minister exhorted people to shed colonial legacy altogether. He said, the movement is neither the beginning nor the end but a Sankalp Yatra. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that ‘Kartavya Path’ is the heart of nation’s capital. He said, the inauguration of ‘Kartavya Path’ is in line with Prime Minister’s second ‘Panch Pran’ for New India in ‘Amrit Kaal’ – that is to remove any trace of colonial mindset.
The jet black granite statue of Netaji Bose, measuring a total of 28 feet, is placed under the Canopy near India Gate. The statue is completely hand sculpted using traditional techniques and modern tools. The statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has been installed in the same place where a hologram statue of Netaji was unveiled in January this year by Mr Modi on Parakram Diwas to mark the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji. Prime Minister Modi also witnessed the exhibition on the revamped Central Vista Avenue.
