Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a decisive national mission to eliminate symbols of colonial subjugation and restore India’s historical pride, cultural identity, and sovereign consciousness.
Speaking in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shah framed the initiative as both a civilisational correction and a strategic assertion of modern India.
Addressing a gathering during the inauguration and foundation stone laying of development projects worth ₹373 crore on Ross Island, Shah said the PM Modi government has consciously replaced colonial-era names and narratives with symbols rooted in India’s freedom struggle and national heroes.
He stated that renaming Ross Island after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, rechristening Port Blair as Sri Vijaynagaram, and naming islands after brave Indian soldiers reflect a deliberate break from colonial memory.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken a campaign to free the nation from the symbols of slavery,” Shah said, emphasising that these steps reconnect citizens with India’s own heroes rather than imperial legacies.
He underlined that symbolic change matters as much as physical development in shaping national identity.
Shah urged residents of the island group to visit exhibitions showcasing the newly introduced criminal justice laws, which replace British-era statutes.
He said these reforms aim to restore the dignity, rights, and justice owed to Indian citizens. According to him, the overhaul represents a historic transformation of India’s legal framework, rooted in Indian values rather than colonial control.
History Reclaimed & Future Rebuilt
In a message shared on social media, the Home Minister recalled that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had declared India’s independence and hoisted the Tricolour on the same land on December 30.
He noted that in Netaji’s honour, PM Modi named two islands Shaheed and Swaraj, reinforcing the connection between the freedom struggle and contemporary governance.
Shah further stated that the Modi government remains committed to strengthening tourism, accelerating development, and enhancing security across India’s smaller islands.
He described the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a strategic and symbolic asset in India’s national vision.
Calling the islands a focal point of freedom, sovereignty, maritime strength, and economic opportunity, Shah highlighted their growing importance in the Indo-Pacific region.
He pointed to vast potential in the blue economy, tourism, and maritime trade, alongside the islands’ deep association with India’s independence movement.
Rejecting the long-held perception that the island group burdened the national exchequer, Shah expressed confidence that the region would emerge as a major economic contributor within the next decade.
He stressed that the government seeks to balance heritage preservation with modern infrastructure and strategic development.
According to Shah, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are transforming from forgotten outposts into symbols of India’s reclaimed past and confident future.
Modi govt is committed to promoting tourism, development and fortifying security in small islands. Speaking at the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of different projects worth ₹373 crore in Andaman and Nicobar. https://t.co/Wmo8cD20N7
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 3, 2026
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