Will keep Independence Day speech under 50 minutes: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday promised the nation that he will keep his his Independence Day address under an hour.

"I have planned to keep my speech short this time not more than 40-50 minutes. For the previous three 15 August speeches, one consistent complaint has been that my speeches tend to be a little lengthy," he said while addressing his 34th edition of his monthly radio broadcast of 'Mann Ki Baat'.

The Prime Minister also said that the month of August is the month of 'revolution' and appealed to the nation to celebrate August 15th (Independence Day) as 'Sankalp Parva' or 'Day of Resolve'.

"We should celebrate 15th August 2017 as the Sankalp Parva or the Day of Resolve. We have to take pledge to quit un-cleanliness, poverty, terrorism, casteism and communalism from India," he said.

He added that this year we are celebrating 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

"The month of August is the month of revolution. The non - cooperation movement began on August 1, 1920. The quit India movement began on August 9, 1942. And India attained Independence on August 15, 1947. This year we are celebrating 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement," he said.

"The five years from 1942 to 1947 were decisive for country's Independence, these five years from 2017 to 2022 must play decisive role for future. Five years from now, we will celebrate 75 years of India's Independence," he added.

Prime Minister Modi also shared a fact with the younger generation and said that the 'Bharat Choddho' slogan was coined by Dr. Yusuf Meher Ali.

"But very few people know the fact that the slogan, 'Quit India' was coined by Dr. Yusuf Meher Ali. The younger generations must know about the history. The sacrifices of freedom fighters between years 1857 to 1942 inspire us to build great nation. The nation kept on fighting to uproot the British rule," he added.

He also asserted that generation after generation changed but the determination to do something remained intact in the nation.