Independence Day Speech of PM Narendra Modi – Quo Vadis?

In his article of 17-Aug-23 published in NEWSclick, Satya Narayana Sahu writes about the phoney “thousand-year foreign rule” right-wingers’ narrative invoked repeatedly by Narendra Modi in his important speeches – before the US Congress three months ago and in the Independence Day address from the Red Fort two days ago. This narrative is one rejected by Nehru, Gandhi and almost all reputed contemporary historians. It is quite a contrast – listening to Nehru’s speech, ten years after India’s independence, on 15th August, 1957 – the link is available in the last paragraph of the NEWSclick article.

To the historical distortion of classifying Mughals as foreigners, Modi, in his latest speech, added a chimera of next thousand-year period in which Hindus will dominate – and it is he who will make this happen! In the interview with Prof. Apoorvanand and Siddharth Varadarajan, find a disccusion of Modi’s call which resembled Hitler extolling “the thousand-year Reich” and few other claims the PM made.. The Wire Interview by Arfa Khanum Sherwani of 15th August, 2023  

 

Ashtuosh interviews Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay who has written Narendra Modi’s biography when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat – he finds enough evidence in Modi’s speech of increasing insecurity and consequently an increased stridency in his pitch to drive the ongoing polarisation agenda. This is the first time any PM has declared, from the Red Fort, his expectation to win another term and be around to make another Independence Day speech – next year post-2024 general elections! Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay feels it will be difficult for BJP to repeat its 2019 performance but the extent of drop from the tally of 303 seats it had won is hard to predict. The Opposition’s INDIA alliance seems to be getting stronger and another Bharat Jodo Yatra will likely improve its stock.

16-Aug-23 SatyaHindi channel interview

 

16-Aug-23 Prof Yogendra Yadav interviewed by Urmilesh on NEWSclick

Yogendra Yadav found the speech full of lies, bravado and an unprecedented level of arrogance. Instead of identifying the real problems plaguing the country, the PM chose to name these three issues – dynasty politics, corruption and appeasement – as if BJP is not afflicted with these very problems!

 

 

 

 

PM Narendra Modi’s speech on 15th August, 2023