I-Day not just national festival, but occasion to remember extraordinary courage, sacrifices: Rekha Gupta

New Delhi, Aug 15 (AHN) Delhi Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, on Saturday hoisted the Tricolour at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day and said today's sacred day is not merely a national festival, it is an occasion to remember the extraordinary courage, sacrifice and dedication of countless brave souls who gave everything and laid the glorious foundation of an independent India.

Addressing the gathering, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said, “Today’s sacred day is not merely a national festival but it is an occasion to remember the extraordinary courage, sacrifice and dedication of countless brave souls who gave everything and laid the glorious foundation of an independent India.

"On this solemn occasion, we pay our humble tribute to all our freedom fighters whose struggles provided a strong foundation for India’s democracy. This fluttering Tricolour is not only a symbol of our glorious past but also a pledge towards our bright future. It constantly reminds us that freedom is not merely a right but also a continuing responsibility towards nation-building.”

The Chief Minister said that when her government assumed office, it inherited several challenges stemming from administrative delays and incomplete projects.

“However, our government accepted these challenges as opportunities for transformation and decided from the very first day to move forward with a result-oriented approach towards finding solutions,” she said.

Gupta said her government was focussed on ensuring that governance translated into tangible development on the ground.

“We have not confined governance to registers. We have given priority to development work,” she said.

“Our priority was to ensure that decisions are taken quickly, schemes are completed on time and their benefits reach people directly. Our government has also worked to ensure that development projects move forward. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is coordination between agencies and the Delhi government,” Gupta said.

She added that several schemes and programmes that were earlier not being implemented were now being taken forward.

“I completely believe that when all institutions work towards one goal, the pace of development doubles,” she said.

Gupta also expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Modi, saying Delhi was receiving the benefits of various initiatives of the Central government.

The Chief Minister later shared photographs from the Independence Day celebrations on social media platform X and said, "Today, on this proud occasion, we placed before the people of Delhi the resolve for a developed Delhi and the clear direction for the coming years. Our goal is to build a capital that is clean, modern, and self-reliant, where women's power is empowered, new opportunities are available for the youth, good governance reaches every citizen, and our culture and heritage advance alongside development."

"In the journey towards a developed India, Delhi will play a leading role with its full potential, this is the resolve with which we are continuously moving forward. Jai Hind," she said.