79th Independence Day
On India's 79th Independence Day, three aspects were particularly noteworthy. This day is undeniably one of celebration and joy, a moment to express gratitude for being born in a free India and experiencing the invaluable sense of liberty. It is a time to reflect on our accomplishments and take pride in the nation's progress. This day transcends any government, individual, Prime Minister, or political party, and is not a stage for political disputes, whether minor or major. It is a day of collective celebration, inclusivity, and unity among all true Indians, who come together to embrace the spirit of the 79th anniversary of independence. This day is dedicated to honoring the tricolor flag, which, when raised, waves as a symbol of the freedom for which countless individuals shed their blood and many sacrificed their lives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his longest speech ever on Independence Day 2025, a full 103 minutes. He started his speech at 7:33 am and finished at 9:16 am. With this address, Modi made a record of delivering speeches from the Red Fort 12 times in a row. However, the record of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is still far ahead of him. Nehru addressed the nation on Independence Day 17 times in a row from 1947 to 1963. Indira Gandhi delivered speeches a total of 16 times, 11 of which were consecutive. She was Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and then from 1980 to 1984 and was assassinated while in office.
Modi has exceeded the tenure records of all Prime Ministers except for Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Similar to Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh also addressed the nation from the Red Fort 11 consecutive times from 2004 to 2014. In contrast, other Prime Ministers served shorter terms: Lal Bahadur Shastri spoke twice, Morarji Desai and P.V. Narasimha Rao each delivered speeches four times, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed the nation six times during his term from 1998 to 2004.
Modi has also made his own records in terms of time. His first speech in 2014 was of 65 minutes. In 2015 it lasted for 85 minutes, in 2016 it lasted for 96 minutes, in 2019 it lasted for 92 minutes and in 2023 it lasted for 90 minutes. His shortest speech was of just 56 minutes in 2017. Before Modi, the record for the longest speech was held by Jawaharlal Nehru (72 minutes in 1947) and I.K. Gujral (71 minutes in 1997). The record for the shortest speech is also held by Nehru and Indira Gandhi - just 14 minutes each in 1954 and 1966 respectively. Manmohan Singh's speeches in 2012 and 2013 were 32 and 35 minutes respectively, while Atal Bihari Vajpayee's addresses in 2002 and 2003 were even shorter, 25 and 30 minutes.
On India's 79th Independence Day, a notable issue was the absence of the Congress, the main opposition party. Neither Rahul Gandhi nor Mallikarjun Kharge attended the event at the Red Fort. This absence highlighted party politics over national interest and is indefensible. Rahul Gandhi serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, while Kharge holds the same position in the Rajya Sabha. These are constitutional roles, and it is their responsibility to attend the Independence Day celebrations. However, the Congress leadership prioritized party politics over national duty. If the controversy stemmed solely from the seating arrangement, it is even more unfortunate. Recall the 2024 incident when Rahul Gandhi was reportedly assigned a 'back' seat, causing significant uproar.
A question arises here - is this an issue of seating plan or national interest? Can attending a function, and that too a national festival like Independence Day, be undermined by such petty things? Should it depend on where the opposition is seated or how the ruling party treats them? If any government, be it BJP or any other, stoops to this level, then a real nationalist leader should rise above such petty political narratives. The first duty of a leader should be towards the nation. Even if one has to participate while standing, still attending the Independence Day celebrations is saluting the nation in the true sense. Unfortunately, the Congress leadership has fallen short in this and has put the nation above politics. Nothing can be worse than this.
And finally, the content of the Prime Minister's speech was also attention-grabbing, with the big messages coming out of his longest address so far. In his 103-minute long speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the armed forces and Operation Sindoor. He announced the launch of the state-of-the-art defense system Mission Sudarshan Chakra, as well as issues like GST and income tax reform, employment, energy and self-reliance in space, but the biggest message was related to his warning in which he mentioned the alleged conspiracy of demographic change and announced the launch of a high-level mission to stop it. He said - I want to warn the country, a new concern is taking the form of a crisis. Under a well-planned conspiracy, efforts are being made to change the population structure of the country. The Prime Minister said in a stern tone that illegal infiltration will not be tolerated under any circumstances. He alleged that infiltrators are occupying the land of tribals and snatching opportunities from the youth. In his words, “These infiltrators are snatching away the livelihood of our youth. These infiltrators are targeting our daughters and sisters. This country will never tolerate this.” In the same sequence, he also warned Pakistan and said that if the enemy dared, then ‘India's response will be more lethal than ever before.’ He also made it clear that India will not accept any nuclear blackmail and will stick to its 'new normal' policy against terrorism. He described terrorism as the 'enemy of humanity' and praised the courage of the soldiers after the Pahalgam terror attack.
A significant aspect of the Prime Minister's address was his commendation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). From the Red Fort, Modi publicly referred to the RSS as the 'world's largest NGO' and characterized its century-long service as a 'golden chapter' in nation building. He highlighted the Sangh's dedication to 'nation building through individual development' as exemplary. Nonetheless, this public praise by the Prime Minister has sparked numerous questions. Apart from criticism from the opposition, is this an effort to reinforce connections with the RSS?