AP Photo

NEW DELHI: Wearing the trademark cap of the Indian National Army presented to him by a former associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose , PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government was seeking to correct the wrongs done to leaders like Bose by “one family” that led the country.

Speaking at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind government by Bose, Modi said the idea of India and Indianness had emerged from nationalist leaders like Netaji.

The PM also said leaders like Netaji, Sardar Patel and B R Ambedkar had not been given their due by the Nehru-Gandhi family. “India would have been a different, greater country if it had been led by leaders like Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and B R Ambedkar, instead of people who continued to rule India through the eyes of the British even after it became independent. Everyone else was ignored. Only one family prospered,” the PM said.

Modi assured the audience that his government was correcting the situation and giving credit where it was due. The PM also said India was emerging stronger and while it did not believe in eyeing others’ territory, it would not hold back from responding with “double the force” if its sovereignty was challenged.

Modi said his government was working towards providing the armed forces with better technology, latest weapons and better facilities. “We are heading towards building an Army that was envisioned by Netaji,” the PM said.

He cautioned people against forces within and outside India, working against the interests of the country by targeting its independence, unity and constitution. “It is the duty of every Indian to fight and defeat such forces,” he said.

