New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a frontal attack on the Opposition citing issues like illegal infiltration, disruptions in Parliament, the Indus Waters Treaty, and what he termed as "failures" of previous governments to carry out various economic reforms.

In his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 79th Independence Day, Modi sought to foil the Opposition attack on his government over issues of welfare of backwards, language diversity and GST reforms.

At the same time, he also sought the Opposition's help in initiating policy decisions that were aimed at taking the country forward.

The prime minister's announcement of next generation GST reforms from Diwali this year came amidst constant criticism by the opposition parties, which dubbed it as "Gabbar Singh Tax".

Modi also showered praise on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, which the opposition termed as "most troubling" and a "breach" of the spirit of constitutional and secular republic.

The Congress alleged that RSS' praise by PM Modi at the Independence Day function was a desperate attempt to appease the Sangh in the run-up to his 75th birthday.

"The PM was tired today. Soon he will retire," Congress' Jairam Ramesh said, slamming Modi's speech as "stale, hypocritical, insipid".

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi hailed 100 years of RSS as a "very proud and glorious" journey of the "world's biggest NGO" and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation.

The prime minister warned people of a premeditated conspiracy to change the country's demography through illegal infiltration and said no nation can tolerate intruders, as he announced a high-powered demography mission to tackle the problem.

"Today I want to alert the country about a concern, a challenge. Under a well-thought out conspiracy, the demography of the country is being changed. Seeds of a new crisis are being sown.

"These 'ghuspaithiye' (intruders) are snatching the livelihood of the youth of my country, these 'ghuspaithiye' are targeting the sisters and daughters of my country, this will not be tolerated. These 'ghuspaithiye' are misleading the innocent tribals and grabbing their land. This country will not tolerate this," Modi said.

Recalling the dark days of the Emergency, Modi said when we talk about democracy and independent India, "then our Constitution is the best lighthouse for us, our centre of inspiration".

"But, 50 years ago, the Constitution of India was strangled. The Constitution of India was stabbed in the back, the country was turned into a prison, an Emergency was imposed.

"It has been 50 years since the Emergency, no generation of the country should ever forget this sin of murdering the Constitution. The sinners who killed the Constitution of India should not be forgotten and we should move forward by strengthening our dedication towards the Constitution, it is our inspiration," he said.

Lauding the bravery of country's soldiers for conducting Operation Sindoor, Modi said Bharat has now decided that blood and water will not flow together.

"The people of the country now fully understand how unjust and one-sided the Indus Waters Treaty has been. The waters of rivers originating from Bharat are irrigating the fields of our enemies, while the farmers and the soil of our own nation remain thirsty.

"This was an agreement that has caused unimaginable loss to our farmers for the past seven decades. Now, the water that rightfully belongs to Bharat will be reserved solely for Bharat, solely for the farmers of Bharat. The form of the Indus agreement that Bharat has endured for decades will not be tolerated any longer. This agreement is unacceptable to us in the interest of our farmers, and in the interest of the nation," he said.

Seeking to blunt the Opposition attack for allegedly ignoring justice for backwards, Modi remembered Mahatma Jyotiba Phule's principles.

"By giving priority to the backward, we want to reach the heights of transformation. We want to put in our utmost effort for this. Through transparent policies, we wish to make "priority to the backward" a reality on the ground, bringing it into the life of every backward person," he asserted.

"We are not concerned only with socially backward groups, we also want to give priority to backward regions," he said.

Referring to frequent disruptions in Parliament, Modi said the government amended several laws to simplify lives of common people and keep public interest first.

"We have gone to Parliament to amend dozens of laws to simplify them, always placing the interests of the public first. This time too, amidst the ruckus, the news may not have reached people about a very significant reform that has taken place in the Income Tax Act. We have decided to abolish more than 280 sections," he said.

Claiming that he was doing everything for the country and not for himself or to harm anyone, the prime minister sought the support of various parties in the interest of the nation.

"I invite the political parties, my competitors, and all fellow leaders to come forward for the sake of the nation's bright future and join us. Whether it is structural reforms, regulatory reforms, policy reforms, process reforms, or the need for constitutional reforms, we have made every kind of reform our mission today," he said.

In a veiled attack on the previous Congress governments, he said files for setting up semiconductor units in the country that started 50-60 years ago got stuck.

"My dear youth, you will be surprised to know that today, the semiconductor, which has become the strength of the world, 50-60 years ago, that thought process, those files, got stuck. The thought process of the semiconductor itself was killed in its infancy (foeticide) 50-60 years ago," he said, noting that many countries mastered in semiconductor technology and consolidated their power.

Talking of reforms, Modi said that this Diwali people are going to get a very big gift in the form of next generation of GST reforms. PTI SKC KVK KVK

Next generation GST reforms announced alongside Income Tax simplification and a demography mission to address illegal infiltration. Announcement of next generation GST reforms to be implemented from Diwali and a plan to repeal over two hundred Income Tax Act sections as legislative simplification, accompanied by a proposed high powered demography mission to address alleged illegal infiltration and protections for tribal land and livelihoods; the government also indicated a policy review of the Indus Waters Treaty to reserve domestically originating waters for national agricultural use and solicited cross party support for broad structural, regulatory and constitutional reforms.