New Delhi: Addressing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day, in his final speech before the 2019 elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually kickstarted his campaign for the battle royale by targeting the Congress-led UPA’s “inefficient and ineffective” regime. Mr Modi also highlighted his government’s efforts to protect the interest of dalits and backward classes — the two communities being wooed by the BJP in the elections – and said the recent Parliament session was dedicated to social justice. Comparing his regime with that of UPA, the PM tried to project himself as an agent of change. BJP’s “vikas pur-ush”, thunde-red from the ramparts of the Red Fort: “Main besabr hun, kyunki jo desh humse aage nikal chuke hain, humme unse bhi aage jana hai.” (I am impatient to take the nation ahead of those countries that have already left us behind).
Attempting to make inroads into the minority community, particularly women, Mr Modi promised to bring in the triple talaq law. For trouble-torn Kashmir, he offered a healing touch. Looking south, mainly towards Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister quoted Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharati and said in Tamil, “India will show the path to the world in ridding it of problems.”
His nearly 80-minute speech was a blend of statistics and statements. With elections around the corner and the Opposition gradually gearing up to corner him, the Prime Minister questioned their motives and criticism. “People make senseless allegations against me. Despite whatever is being said, I want to publicly acknowledge that I am impatient because children are still suffering from malnutrition. I am eager to provide quality of life and ease of living to countrymen. I am impatient to provide health coverage to each of the poor so that they can fight against diseases. I am eager because we have to lead a knowledge-based fourth industrial revolution,” he said.
The Prime Minister who is eager to usher in a “new and more powerful India”, promised to launch various schemes and missions including the first manned space mission by 2022 and announced the date for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyan health insurance scheme and permanent commissioning of women in the armed forces.
Sporting a crisp full-sleeve kurta pyjama, a stole and a vibrant saffron and red turban, the Prime Minister in his characteristic style spouted poetry. “Hum tod rahe hain zanzeerein, hum badal rahe hain tasveerein; ye navyug hai nav Bharat hai, khud likhengein apni taqdeerein.” (We are breaking shackles, we are changing images; this is a new era, new India, we will write our own destiny.)
Highlighting the achievements of his government, Mr Modi repeatedly targeted the previous regime. “India was earlier a sleeping elephant which has woken up now and has started running,” he said. “Businesses used to talk about red-tape, now they talk about red carpets. They used to talk about policy paralysis, today they talk about reform, perform, transform,” Mr Modi said.
Talking about atrocities against women, the Prime Minister exhorted all to give wide publicity to the cases in which rapists were awarded the death sentences.
Often accused by the Opposition, particularly by Congress of being a “suit boot ka sarkaar” (pro-rich), the Prime Minister spoke about his government’s initiatives to improve the lives of the poor and the backward communities. He said: “When 1.25 billion dreams go towards one goal, there’s nothing that cannot happen. In 2014, the people of the country did not just stop at forming a government. They got together for nation-building and they will keep at it.”
Claiming that the narrative has changed, the Prime Minister said, “India used to be counted among the ‘Fragile Five’ in the world. But today, India is a multi-billion dollar investment.”
As for Kashmir, Mr Modi recalled that then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had shown the way for Jammu and Kashmir — “Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat.” (Humanity, Democracy and Kashmiriyat) Offering his healing touch, he said: “We want to go ahead on that road. Not by bullets and abuse, we want to embrace the patriotic people of Kashmir.”
