PM Modi says India will not tolerate illegal immigration, announces high-power demography mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sent a firm warning against illegal immigration during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, saying the country would not allow outsiders to take the rightful place of India’s youth and daughters.

"I would like to alert the nation about a concern, a challenge. Under a well-thought-out conspiracy, country's demography is being changed, seeds of a new crisis are being sown. Infiltrators are snatching away the livelihood of the youth of my country. Infiltrators are targeting the sisters and daughters of my country. This will not be tolerated. These infiltrators mislead innocent tribals and capture their land. The country will not tolerate this," he said, addressing the nation.

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“Nobody can hand over their country to illegal immigrants, no country can — so how can India?” the prime minister said, noting the need to protect the nation’s demographic and social balance.

He announced the launch of a high-power demography mission, aimed at addressing population dynamics and safeguarding opportunities for Indian citizens.

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India is celebrating its 79th Independence Day on Friday, under cloudy, damp skies with with light rain in the air. At the heart of the celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 12th consecutive Independence Day address — and his second since securing a third term — from the ramparts of Delhi’s historic Red Fort.

The announcement came among a slew of other initiatives such as the Vikshit Bharat Rozgaar Yojana, substantial reductions in GST due for this Diwali, and the 'Sudarshan Chakra' defence system.

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He unveiled the massive PM Viksit Bharat Rozgaar Yojana, a Rs 1 lakh crore scheme aimed at empowering India’s youth, during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort. The programme, set to begin immediately, will provide direct financial support of Rs 15,000 to individuals securing their first private-sector job, promoting entrepreneurship, skill development, and self-reliance among young Indians.

Meanwhile, Modi announced that next-generation GST reforms would be implemented by Diwali to reduce taxes on everyday items.

“I am going to give a great gift on Diwali. In the last eight years, we carried out a major reform in GST and simplified the tax system. Now it is the demand of the time to review it. We have consulted the states and are bringing the next-generation GST reform,” he said, adding that the move would particularly benefit small industries and MSMEs.

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In addition, the BJP supremo announced that India will develop the 'Sudarshan Chakra' defence system, a state-of-the-art technological shield to protect all critical national sites, ensuring full security against evolving threats by 2035.