New Delhi , 26 Dec : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered a forceful ideological message from Bharat Mandapam, urging India’s 140 crore citizens to decisively end what he described as the lingering ‘mental slavery’ imposed by British colonial ruler Thomas Babington Macaulay.
Addressing the Veer Bal Diwas commemorations in New Delhi, PM Modi framed the occasion as both a tribute to supreme sacrifice and a political call to reclaim India’s civilisational confidence.
Marking the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s four Sahibzadas, the Prime Minister linked their courage to India’s present struggle against colonial intellectual frameworks that, he argued, continued to distort national consciousness even after Independence.
He asserted that freedom in 1947 did not automatically dismantle colonial thinking and that deliberate efforts were made for decades to suppress India’s historical truth and cultural diversity.
Without naming the Congress directly, PM Modi launched a pointed attack on earlier regimes, saying post-Independence governments failed to fully liberate India from inherited subservience.
He declared that the country has now resolved to abandon the mindset of slavery and reclaim its authentic voice.
Highlighting Macaulay’s education policy as a calculated attempt to erode Indian languages and traditions, PM Modi called for a national pledge to uproot its influence.
He stressed that mental freedom is as critical as political freedom and must involve pride in India’s linguistic and cultural plurality.
Indian Languages Gain Space in Parliament
As evidence of change, the Prime Minister cited Parliament’s growing use of Indian languages. He noted that more than 160 speeches were recently delivered in regional tongues, including Tamil, Marathi, and Bengali, underscoring a decisive break from English-centric elitism.
PM Modi said linguistic diversity, once suppressed, now stands as India’s greatest democratic strength.
Recalling the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the bravery of the Sahibzadas, PM Modi said Veer Bal Diwas symbolises resistance against injustice and the defence of India’s spiritual identity. He added that observing the day with devotion would energise the Swadeshi spirit and accelerate self-reliance.
With 2035 approaching, two centuries since Macaulay’s education framework, PM Modi urged citizens to completely free their minds from colonial inferiority.
PM Modi argued that India’s unity grows stronger as its diversity gains confidence.
The event also honoured young achievers with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, reinforcing the theme of courage and righteousness.
Paying homage to Mata Gujri Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji, PM Modi concluded that India’s cultural resurgence remains central to national strength.
As Veer Bal Diwas gains wider recognition, the Prime Minister positions it as a rallying point for identity, pride, and ideological self-rule.
