No place for casteism, communalism, says PM Modi

 Addressing the nation on the occasion of its 69th Independence Day from the ramparts of the 17the century-built Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there is no place for casteism or communalism in India, and added that these two menaces that bedevil society would not be tolerated at all.

"Be it casteism or communalism, there is no place for them. In no way can they be tolerated. If the unity of India is destroyed, then the dreams of the people are also destroyed," he said.

Re-emphasing on the need to keep the nation united, Prime Minister Modi said, "This is Team India, a team of 125 crore Indians. This is the team that makes the nation and takes our nation to new heights." Before the unfurling of the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi first went to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. Thereafter, he was received at the Red Fort complex by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Defence Secretary G. Mohan Kumar and the commanding officer of the Delhi area.

He then reviewed a tri-services guard of honour before moving the venue from where he has begun to address the nation.