
PM Modi seeks ideas from citizens for upcoming Independence Day speech
He said on X, 'As we approach this year's Independence Day, I look forward to hearing from my fellow Indians! What themes or ideas would you like to see reflected in this year's Independence Day speech?'
He urged them to share their thoughts on open forums on MyGov and the NaMo App.
In his August 15 addresses, Modi covers a broad sweep of issues facing the country and often makes new announcements.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
a minute ago
- Indian Express
Kerala Governor's order to observe ‘Partition horror day' is latest flashpoint with state govt
Taking a cue from a 2022 UGC circular, Kerala Governor Rajendran Vishwanath Arlekar has asked all universities in the state to observe August 14 as 'Partition horror day''. Taking strong exception to the Governor's circular to the V-Cs, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said 'the directive to the universities is unconstitutional and unacceptable. Kerala will never allow its campuses to be turned into stages for the Sangh Parivar divisive agenda.'' Governor is the ex-officio Chancellor of all the universities in the state. The circular issued to the V-Cs from the Raj Bhavan, said August 14 has been declared as 'Partition horror day'. 'The universities can organise seminars to commemorate the occasion. They can prepare dramas on this which can be done by going to the people and showing how terrible the Partition was,' said the circular. The UGC in 2022 had issued to all colleges and universities to hold an exhibition on August 14 following an announcement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021. Institutions were asked to display the exhibition at public places on the day in such a manner to ensure maximum participation from the public. It was meant to reminisce the suffering people had faced during the Partition. Many other states in the country have been observing August 14 as the Partition day. However, Left-ruled Kerala had not so far complied with the directive in the state. Reacting to the directive, Vijayan, on his X handle said, 'August 15 is a reminder of India's anti-imperialist struggle and brutalities unleashed by the British to suppress it. The Sangh Parivar, which had no role in the freedom movement and served the British raj, now seeks to undermine Independence Day by promoting a divisive agenda. The Governor's directive to universities to observe August 14 as partition horror day is unconstitutional and unacceptable,'' he said.


Scroll.in
a minute ago
- Scroll.in
Maharashtra: Row erupts after Kalyan-Dombivli civic body bans meat sale on Independence Day
The municipal corporation of Kalyan-Dombivli in Maharashtra's Thane has ordered all slaughterhouses and meat shops in its jurisdiction to stay closed on Independence Day, reported The Indian Express on Monday. The Opposition parties have described the action as 'food policing'. In a notice signed by Deputy Commissioner Kanchan Gaikwad, the municipal corporation said that slaughterhouses and licensed butchers of goats, sheep, chickens and large animals should stay closed from midnight of August 14 till midnight of August 15, PTI reported. It also warned of action under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act if the order is violated. Gaikwad claimed that the action was taken in consideration of long-standing administrative resolutions to ensure public order and the observance of important national occasions, the news agency reported. The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation is under administrative rule, with the municipal commissioner acting as the administrator on behalf of the state government. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Jitendra Awhad claimed that the ruling Mahayuti alliance was 'fuelling a vegetarian–non-vegetarian divide' after having 'exhausted other social controversies', The Indian Express reported. The Mahayuti alliance comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena group led by former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar. Sharad Pawar's faction of the NCP, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress are part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. Awhad also questioned whether the state government would now decide on when to eat non-vegetarian food. 'I am planning to host a mutton party that day, [Independence Day]' the NCP(SP) MLA from the Mumbra-Kalwa seat told PTI on Sunday. 'On the day we got freedom, you are taking away our freedom to eat what we want.' Awhad's party colleague and MP Suresh Mhatre also described the action as 'unacceptable' and said that food choices are rooted in cultural traditions, particularly in the coastal Agri-Koli community, The Indian Express reported. He added that such a ban cannot be imposed. Uddhav Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded the suspension of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation commissioner. 'Bridges are collapsing, roads are in terrible shape, and instead of fixing them, the administration is busy banning food,' Thackeray said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Vishwanath Bhoir claimed that there was no public objection about the ban, The Indian Express reported. 'If people follow become vegetarian for one day, what is the harm?' the Kalyan MLA asked, adding that criticism was the job of the Opposition. Plea in Telangana HC A petition has also been filed in the Telangana High Court against a recent order by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation directing the closure of beef shops and slaughterhouses on Independence Day and Janmashtami, Bar and Bench reported. Janmashtami is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of the deity Krishna and will be observed on August 16. The petition filed by Vadla Srikanth, a law student, was listed before Justice B Vijaysen Reddy on Monday. Reddy directed the municipal corporation to explain the reasoning for the decision. The matter was listed for further hearing on Wednesday. The petition claimed that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation ordered the closure without any cause of action or statutory powers, Bar and Bench reported. 'The decision to close down the cattle slaughter houses, meat shops, etc. is taken without citing any reasons and the said letter is a blatant example of colorable exercise of authority without any reason whatsoever,' the petition said. The livelihood of the traders cannot be harmed and they deserve to know why their businesses need to be closed on August 15 and 16, it added. Calling the order 'arbitrary' and 'illegal', the petition also said that it violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.


Hans India
a minute ago
- Hans India
Third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable to convene in Delhi tomorrow
New Delhi:The third round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) will take place in New Delhi on Wednesday, aiming to further expand and deepen the bilateral relationship between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. The high-level discussions come ahead of the possible visit of Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to India next month, according to media reports. Representing India at the talks will be External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw. They will be joined by six ministers from Singapore -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will lead the delegation, accompanied by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng, and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow. India and Singapore elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the island nation last year. The ISMR, envisioned by PM Modi, is described by the MEA as a unique platform for shaping a forward-looking agenda for India–Singapore cooperation. The inaugural meeting was held in New Delhi in September 2022, followed by the second round in Singapore in August 2024. The third edition is expected to identify fresh opportunities to further strengthen the partnership. In January this year, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited India for high-level engagements. During his visit, he met with EAM Jaishankar to discuss bilateral collaboration in areas such as semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. He also held talks with Prime Minister Modi, focusing on "futuristic sectors" to enhance cooperation between the two nations. Third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable to convene in Delhi tomorrow