Prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday celebrated the renaming of Rajpath as ‘Kartavya Path’ and installation of the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate canopy as historical milestones towards erasure of colonial domination as well as testimonies to the emergence of India as a resurgent nation.

“Rajpath, earlier known as Kingsway (before Independence), the symbol of slavery, has become a matter of history from today and has been erased forever. Today a new history has been created in the form of Kartavya Path. I congratulate all the countrymen for their freedom from yet another identity of slavery, in this ‘Amrit Kaal’ of independence,” the PM said, furthering the thrust on removing all marks of colonial domination — one of the five pledges he had spelt out during his August 15 address to make India a developed nation by 2047.

Now when parliamentarians, ministers and officers go on the ‘Kartavya Path’, they would be reminded of their duties and will get inspired,” Modi said.

He said while Rajpath symbolised the power of the ruler, ‘Kartavya Path’ represented the sense of duty as well as the spirit of public ownership and empowerment. Rajpath was for the British Raj to which the people of India were slaves, he said.

The PM also said the installation of a 28-foot-high granite statue of Netaji at the India Gate canopy, under which the statue of British monarch George V once stood, marked the abolition of another sign of “ghulami” (slavery). He called Netaji “Rashtra Nayak” (leader of the nation), potentially putting the legendary freedom fighter on an even higher pedestal and said that the country would have risen higher if it had followed his ideas.

Saying that installation of Netaji’s statue symbolises the determination of a strong India, Modi said: “After independence, if our country would have followed his footsteps, India would have achieved different heights. But unfortunately, this great hero of ours was forgotten after Independence.

The spirit of Rajpath was also a symbol of slavery, its structure was also a symbol of slavery.A series of decisions taken by the government — renaming of Andaman Islands after Netaji.

On the recent decision of changing the flag and new ensign of Indian Navy,the Indian Navy has also adopted Chhatrapati Shivaji’s symbol and shed the symbol of ghulami. These changes are not limited to symbols. These changes are a part of the country’s foundations.Today's India’s ideals and dimensions are its own. Today India’s resolve is its own and its goals are its own. Today our paths are ours, our symbols are our own. Today Rajpath ceases to exist and has become Kartavya Path.

India’s 75-Year Journey From Rajpath To Kartavya Path

India’s 75-Year Journey From Rajpath To Kartavya Path