From the ramparts: Key Aug 15 takeaways
Every year on Independence Day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The speech is one of the most significant moments in the life of the republic as it reveals the priorities, passions, concerns and challenges of tho
ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE 2000 KASHMIR ‘UNBREAKABLE’ PART OF INDIA
After the fall of the 13-month-old Vajpayee government in April 1999, the Bjp-led NDA returned to power in the Lok Sabha elections held in Septemberoctober 1999. In the first Independence Day speech of his new term, Vajpayee warned Pakistan for its “undeclared war” and asserted that Kashmir will remain an “unbreakable part” of India. He warned that attempts to spread communal discord would not be tolerated. This was also the year when Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were carved out of UP, Bihar and MP respectively.
2001 LIBERALISATION HASN’T BENEFITED EVERYONE
Two years after the Kargil conflict, India had invited Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf for summit-level talks at Agra. In his speech, Atal Bihari Vajpayee spelt out the reasons for the failure of the Agra summit, saying Musharraf had come with single-point agenda of forcing India to accept Pakistan’s terms on Kashmir. “I could not have accepted this,” he said. Taking on corruption he said, “... We cannot turn a blind eye to corruption...”
2002 FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN KASHMIR
As assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were a few months away, Vajpayee promised “free and fair” polls in the troubled state. In his speech, he invoked ‘Kashmiriyat’, talked about friendly relations with Pakistan and also mentioned the Gujarat riots. “The horrific explosion of communal violence in Gujarat was one unfortunate example of this. There can be no place for such violence in a civilised society,” he said.
2003 NO POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION
This was Vajpayee’s last speech from the Red Fort as the NDA government advanced the Lok Sabha elections by six months to April 2004. Pakistan and Kashmir remained the central theme of the speech. He spoke about having established cooperative relations with states ruled by rival political parties. “Political discrimination on account of ideological differences is unacceptable to us,” he said. Vajpayee also announced that India will send it own spacecraft to Moon by 2008 and the mission was named Chandrayaan I.
MANMOHAN SINGH 2004 UPHOLD CONSTITUTIONAL VALUES
In his first Independence Day speech, Manmohan Singh spoke about the need for good governance and ‘code of conduct for political parties and everyone in public life’ to uphold the ‘values enshrined in the constitution.’ He also stressed on how a ‘purposive’ bilateral dialogue with Pakistan can bring peace and stability in the region.
2005 FOCUS ON AAM AADMI
In his second speech, Singh exhorted the nation to take its ‘rightful place in the world’ buoyed by robust economic growth. The continuing violence in Jammu and Kashmir had the PM sending a message to Pakistan that the Indian response to extremist attacks can be ‘hard’. He emphasised that the focus of his government is not only economic growth but also the ‘empowerment’ of the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man). He concluded saying the time had come for every Indian to take pride in his or her ‘Indian identity’.
2006 STOP TERROR AND EXTREMISM
In a message to Pakistan, Singh said ‘cross-border terrorism’ was hampering peace. He said India had to fight poverty, inequity and unemployment. He urged parties to shun ‘divisiveness.’
2007 A NATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE
Quoting English poet Robert Browning, Singh said the best is yet to come. “We are a nation of young people. Once unleashed, the energy of our youth will drive India onto a new growth path.”
NARENDRA MODI 2014 10-YEAR MORATORIUM ON COMMUNALISM, CASTEISM
Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s first speech was historic in many senses. At a time of apprehension about the government’s priorities, the PM announced a moratorium of 10 years on regionalism, communal and caste tensions. Calling himself the Pradhan Sevak (Prime servant), he spoke at length about Swachh Bharat. He also spoke of financial inclusion and announced a scheme for MPS to adopt model villages.
2015 A CORRUPTION-FREE INDIA
In his second speech, Modi made a strong pro-poor, pro-farmer and anticorruption speech. On one hand, he
2008 ISSUES CAN BE RESOLVED ONLY THROUGH DIALOGUE
Peace in J&K and the north-east was the underlining theme of his speech.
He also mentioned the nuclear deal, which India was then negotiating with the United States of America (USA) saying the pact would spur economic growth. He said modern science should ‘find solutions to our energy problem’.
2009 RESTORING GROWTH BIGGEST CHALLENGE
While arguing that the global economic crisis had affected India to a lesser extent than other countries, the PM maintained that restoring the country’s growth rate to 9% was India’s greatest challenge.
2010 DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE WAY TO PEACE
Singh made a fresh appeal to youngsters of J&K and those in Maoist areas saying a dialogue was the only way to resolve issues.
He added that the government had laid a special emphasis on the welfare of farmers in the country. announced Startup India and Stand-up India to appeal to the young and as a mode of job creation.on the other hand, he rolled out a slew of social welfare schemes on pension and insurance. Modi also said that in 1,000 days all nonelectrified villages would be given a power connection.
2016 THANK YOU, BALOCHISTAN
The highlight of Modi’s 86-minute speech was his reference to Balochistan — a sensitive topic for the Pakistan administration. He said he was grateful to the people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who had wished India on Independence Day. Modi also used the address to highlight the government’s social goals — including medical aid of up to ₹1 lakh for peo-
2011 HUNGER STRIKES WON’T SOLVE CORRUPTION
Singh used ‘corruption’ sixteen times in his speech, reflecting the growing concerns on the issue. He argued that hunger strikes were not a solution. Instead, a multi-pronged effort — a Lokpal legislation, a Judicial Accountability Bill and a legislation for public procurement — was required.
2012 SLOW GROWTH NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT
Singh made an explicit connection between slow growth and national security. He also spoke about the need to create more jobs in the country and laid down the idea of a National Skill Development Authority.
2013 NO PLACE FOR NARROW SECTARIAN IDEOLOGIES
Singh’s last speech was a recap of the achievements of the past UPA years. He ended his speech with an appeal towards creating a tolerant society saying, “There can be no place for narrow and sectarian ideologies in a modern, progressive and secular country.” ple below the poverty line — and reached out to middle class by saying they would be spared the tyranny of the tax authorities.
2017 KASHMIR NEEDS TO BE EMBRACED
At a time when Kashmir continues to face unrest, Modi adopted a conciliatory approach and said the Kashmir problem will be solved neither by gaali (abuses) or goli (bullets) but by embracing all Kashmiris. He also condemned violence in the name of faith and said the slogan before Independence was ‘Bharat Chhodo’ but now it should be ‘Bharat Jodo’. He empathised with Muslim women who had suffered instant triple talaq — which would become a key political theme of his government.