New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS): The tricolour will fly high only when every Indian has access to good and free healthcare and education, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday.

Speaking at the Delhi government's Independence Day event at Chhatrasal Stadium here, Kejriwal said that free education and healthcare are not freebies and crucial to make the nation developed.

"If India has to be made a rich country, to make number one, first of all arrangements have to be made for excellent and free education for all children and free treatment for every Indian. This can happen in 5 years. If children are educated well then poverty will be eradicated in one generation," said Kejriwal, adding that there is no shortcut of it.

Paying homage to all freedom fighters on the occasion, he said that this is the time to celebrate our achievements, but also we need to think about our challenges and the action ahead.

"Singapore that got Independence 15 years after India and Japan that was destroyed in the Second World War got ahead of us. We are no less than others. Indians are the most intelligent, hardworking people in the world but still, we have lagged," he added.

He said the country's 130 crore people need to come together and resolve to make India the number one country in the world.

"Giving good treatment to people is not free revdi. People have to sell jewellery and land for the treatment. We have to take a vow that if anyone out of 130 crore is ill, then everyone will get him treated together. Treatment of people is free in all rich countries, we do not need insurance, we need a hospital," he emphasised in his speech.

"We came together and sent the Britishers out. Today, if we come together, we can make India the top country in the world," he said in his speech.