New Delhi, August 14: President Ram Nath Kovind, in his address to the nation on eve of 74th Independence Day, paid homage to father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi. He also lauded the efforts of government in combating COVID-19, while condoling the demise of frontline workers who have died in the pandemic so far.
On Gandhi, Kovind said India was "fortunate" to be led in the freedom struggle against the colonial regime by a leader of his stature. The values propagated by the Mahatma are valuable to address the climate change and resource-scarcity challenges being faced by the world.
The President dedicated a major portion of his address on the COVID-19 crisis. "The Independence Day celebrations this year will lack the usual fanfare," he said, citing the state of pandemic across the nation. Kovind lauded the "timely steps" taken by the government so far to "protect scores of lives".
Kovind also appealed the nation to honour the efforts of medical staff, nurses, doctors, policemen, sanitation staff, railway workers, NGOs, government officials and other frontline workers. Those whose lives were lost sacrificed themselves in the fight against COVID-19, he said. "We are indebted to corona warriors," he said.
The marquee event of 74th Independence Day celebrations would be the hoisting of tricolour at Red Fort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian PM would also make his seventh consecutive annual address from the ramparts of Red Fort. The ceremony this year, however, would be overshadowed by COVID-19 pandemic as the stream of attendees seen each year would not be present.
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