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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Independence Day speeches: Five takes from five PMs
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Independence Day speeches: Five takes from five PMs

What some former prime ministers said in their Independence Day speeches in the past

A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation from Red Fort on Independence Day last year. In his second Independence Day speech, Modi is expected to touch upon crucial issues related to Swachh Bharat, women safety, agriculture and farmer, economy and Namami Ganga. Photo: Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan TimesPremium
A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation from Red Fort on Independence Day last year. In his second Independence Day speech, Modi is expected to touch upon crucial issues related to Swachh Bharat, women safety, agriculture and farmer, economy and Namami Ganga. Photo: Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times

New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi readies to give his second Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Saturday, Mint looks at five such speeches in Indian history, including those of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. This time, Modi is expected to touch upon crucial issues related to Swachh Bharat, women safety, agriculture and farmer, economy and Namami Ganga in his speech.

Indira Gandhi, 1966

Standing here from the ramparts of Red Fort, my mind inevitably turns to India’s past, a past studded with achievements in the field of science and philosophy and other fields. India was an advanced nation and had provided leadership to the world. How can we forget India’s glorious past? It is for us to see that our record remains unblemished.

Morarji Desai, 1977

You can catch me by the ear when I make a mistake. But do not catch me alone, catch all the colleagues of mine if mistakes are committed. That is the kind of people’s power we want to build.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 1999

Today, on the occasion of Independence Day, India stands with full self-confidence. Our gaze is turned to the future. Our standing in the world has risen. Now, the people are not attracted by the controversies and narrow disputes of yesterday.

I have a vision of India: an India free of hunger and fear, an India free of illiteracy and want. I dream of an India that is prosperous, strong and caring. An India, that regains a place of honour in the comity of great nations.

Manmohan Singh, 2007

We must have faith in our strength and confidence in our capabilities. Each of us have our individual identities. However, every citizen must recognize that we are Indians first and last. We fritter away our time on petty issues and pointless personal differences. I urge all political parties, all political and social leaders to resist the temptation to divide people along narrow, sectarian lines. Our strength is in our unity, despite our diversity. It is that unity which gave us our Independence. It is that unity that gives us our strength as a nation.

Narendra Modi, 2014

My dear countrymen, this nation has neither been built by political leaders nor by rulers nor by governments. This nation has been built by our farmers, our workers, our mothers and sisters, our youth. The country has reached here today because of generation-to-generation rigours undertaken by our sages, our saints, our maestros, our teachers, our scientists and social workers.

Source: PIB, Commissions and Ommissions by Indian Prime Minister Volume 1

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Published: 14 Aug 2015, 07:46 PM IST
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