I-Day: PM Modi chants 'Team India, Start-up India, Stand up India' slogan at Red Fort

New Delhi: There is no place for casteism or communalism in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation on Saturday from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the occasion of the country's 69th Independence Day.

"If the unity of India is destroyed then the dreams of the people are also destroyed." In no way casteism or communalism can be tolerated, Modi, clad in a biege kurta with a matching sleeveless jacket, said.

Laying stress on the power of 'Team India', Modi said: "This is the team that makes the nation and takes our nation to new heights." , which He defined the concept of a team of 125 crore Indians.

Speaking without the protection of a bulletproof shield, Modi launched a new slogan: "Start-up India, Stand up India."

He floated the dream of creating entrepreneurs -- from the backward sections -- across the country who will get loans from bank, in a movement that will change the economic landscape of the country.

A considerable part of his speech was focused on the welfare of the poor and farmers, at a time the Congress party has accused his government of being pro-corporate. The opposition party has upped the ante against the NDA government over a land bill, which it says hurts the interest of farmers with a contentious acquisition clause.

India's farmers are as important as its soldiers, Modi said, minutes after he started his speech with tributes to soldiers.

Modi reached Red Fort around 7:20am, after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat. Top Union ministers such as Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Ravi Shankar Prasad were also present at the venue.

The Prime Minister also waged a war against corruption, saying: "Corruption has to be removed fully from the system."

"There's no corruption allegation against the governmnent you have voted to power," Modi said, sending out a message after the Congress dirsupted the recently concluded monsoon session over the Lalit Modi controversy and the Vyapam scandal in Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress has accused foreign minister Sushma Swaraj of being a beneficiary of former IPL chief Lalit Modi, who allegedly got her help to get UK travel papers. Similar allegations have been levelled against Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

Updating the nation about the delivery of another of his election promises, Modi said the long process of bringing back black money from abroad has started and now no one dares to send their black money to foreign countries.

Underlining the achievements of his government in implementing several welfare schemes, Modi said: "There is a new atmosphere of trust."

"Last time from the Red Fort I spoke about toilets and cleanliness. People wondered what kind of PM is he, talking about these issues," the PM said, touching upon his pet Swachh Bharat campaign.

"If there is something that has touched every person, it is the movement towards cleanliness...Children in every home have become brand ambassadors for the Swachh Bharat campaign, they prevent their elders from littering or spitting in public."

Tight security

In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, security arrangements for the 69th Independence Day are at an intense level all over the country, particularly in New Delhi.

A multi-layered security ring is in place around the 17th century historic Red Fort. A bullet-proof glass enclosure has been erected for the PM at the venue, but it is not clear whether he will be speaking from behind the glass or in open like last year.

Delhi Police and central agencies will keep strict vigil at these locations with Quick Reaction Teams, bomb disposal squads and dog squads along with the commando units of Delhi Police, the sources said.