The ongoing stir against the alleged rape-murder of a doctor in Kolkata, the Bangladesh crisis and the need for a secular civil code in the country were prominently raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his longest Independence Day speech so far. For 98 minutes, the Prime Minister drew the country’s attention to various issues such as the need for ‘one nation, one election’, safety of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, investment push at the state level among others as he promised a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

PM Modi promised to work thrice as hard in his third term to achieve his dreams of the golden era and called for the cooperation of states and citizens. He urged the country to break free from the ‘stuatus quo’ mentality as the government has done by rolling out reforms to uplift the people and the middle class. He said, “Middle class gives a lot to nation; expects quality life; will be our endeavour to ensure minimum government interference.”

He spoke about Bangladesh twice and Hindu four times as he addressed the Dhaka crisis that led to the ouster Sheikh Hasina followed by communal violence. The Prime Minister also demanded stringent punishment against crime against women and mentioned rape twice in his speech delivered hours after women and protesters took to the streets against the gruesome crime against a doctor in a Kolkata government hospital.

The Prime Minister in his lengthy speech laid importance on the youth and their importance in politics, his government’s initiatives to uplift tribals and his commitment for a better future of the country.

Here’s a quick look at what got more focus in the Prime Minister’s impassionate Independence Day speech. He mentioned ‘desh’ 61 times, ‘Bharat’ 59 times, ‘deshwasi’ 45 times, ‘youth’ 43 times, ‘global’ 34 times, ‘dreams’ 28 times, ‘reform’ 23 times, ‘women’ 20 times, ‘governance’ 18 times, ‘farmer’ 17 times, ‘Viksit Bharat’ 16 times, ‘education’ 16 times, ‘states’ 16 times, ‘Azadi’ 16 times, ‘defence’ 16 times, ‘banking’ 15 times, ‘2047’ 13 times, ‘middle class’ 11 times, ‘Constitution’ 8 times, ‘ST’ 8 times, ‘budget’ 8 times, ‘Dalit’ 6 times, ’employment’ 6 times, ‘Olympics’ 5 times, ‘parivarvaad’ 5 times, ‘casteism’ 8 times, ‘gaming’ 6 times and ‘natural disaster’ 3 times.

The Prime Minister touched upon these topics in the presence of Union ministers, prominent personalities, Olympians as well as Rahul Gandhi, who became the first Opposition leader to be present at the Independence Day celebrations after 10 years.

In the presence of Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi spoke at length about dynastic politics and the menace of ‘parivarbad’ and the need to rise above such politics.

He also spoke about the need to publicise punishments given for atrocities against women to instill fear in the minds of people. He said, “Today from the Red Fort, I want to express my pain. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against our mothers, sisters and daughters. There is anger among common people because of this. I can feel that rage,” he said.

Expressing concern over the Bangladesh crisis he said, “As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation will improve at the earliest.”

“We will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its development journey,” PM Modi said.

In the wake of the Wayanad landslides that claimed over 350 lives, PM Modi said, “This year and over the last few years, we all are becoming more worried due to the natural disasters.”

“Natural disasters have heightened our concern over last few years; I express my sympathies to affected families.” he added.

RECALLS TRIBAL LEADER BIRSA MUNDA

The Prime Minister also honoured the tribal community and paid tributes to freedom fighter Birsa Munda. PM Modi called on to the citizens to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the freedom fighter. He said Birsa Munda was an inspiration to the country.

“Even before the freedom struggle, there was one young adivasi man who became a headache for the British forces. Just at the age of 20-22, this young man became a huge problem for the British. Today we know him as Bhagwan Birsa Munda and we worship him,” he said.

IMPORTANT TOPICS RAISED IN PM MODI’S SPEECH

Youth in politics:

PM Modi gave a call to induct 1 lakh youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families. The Prime Minister said this initiative was aimed at fighting the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into India’s polity.

Medical Education Expansion:

PM Modi in his speech announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years, aiming to enhance the country’s medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals.

State-level Investment Competition:

The Prime Minister appealed to state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation.

Climate Change Targets:

The Prime Minister reiterated the India’s ambitious goal of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He noted that India has been the only country among the G20 nations to meet its Paris Accord goals.

Skill India:

Prime Minister Modi also highlighted landmark initiatives announced by the government to train India’s youth and become the skill capital of the world.

Climate Change Targets:

The Prime Minister stressed India’s ambitious goal of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He noted that India has been the only country among the G20 nations to meet its Paris Accord goals.

Revival of Nalanda Spirit:

The Prime Minister sought to revive the ancient Nalanda University spirit, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. This builds on the inauguration of Nalanda University in 2024.