PM Modi said awareness is key to curbing crimes against women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a strong message on increasing incidents of rape during his Independence Day speech from Red Fort in the national capital. Emphasising the rule of law is supreme for his government, PM Modi said that it's important to instill fear in people with "demonic mindset".

As India entered the 72nd year of independence, PM Modi said we have to free our society and country from this disgusting mentality of rape.

"The rule of law is supreme for us and there can be no compromise with this. Demonic mentalities are being tackled sternly, and rapists are getting severest punishment," he said.

The prime minister spoke about fast-track trial in rape cases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the convicts were sentenced to death within days and said such cases need to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes.

"The more the publicity, the more the fear. The hangings of rapists must be widely reported to spread awareness and to scare those thinking about hurting women. We must abolish crimes against women," PM Modi urged and added that the society needs to feel a million times more pain that a rape survivor goes through.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has attacked PM Modi on multiple occasions for his "silence on rapes of women and children across the country", was keenly listening to PM Modi's speech.

"A BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh raped a woman but the Prime Minister was silent. In Bihar, minor girls were raped but he did not speak a word. Incidents of rape are taking place across the country but he is not opening his mouth," Mr Gandhi recently said while mocking PM Modi's slogan, "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao".