On Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the longest address in the history of Red Fort speeches — 103 minutes — after hoisting the national flag. Modi highlighted India’s achievements in “Operation Sindoor,” praising the armed forces and warning Pakistan that India would not bow to nuclear blackmail. Announcing GST reforms to be implemented by Diwali to reduce the prices of essential goods, the PM also unveiled initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgaar Yojana for job creation and Mission Sudarshan Chakra to strengthen defence capabilities. He alleged a “conspiracy and well-planned plot” to change the country’s demography, claiming intruders were seizing jobs, misleading tribals, and occupying land, and vowed that the nation “will not tolerate this.” He further criticised past Congress governments for failing to realise semiconductor ambitions, saying the idea was “killed in the womb” decades ago, delaying technological progress.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh called the PM’s speech “stale, hypocritical, insipid, and troubling,” accusing Modi of lying about India’s semiconductor history and pointing to the establishment of the Semiconductor Complex Ltd in Chandigarh in 1983 as proof of earlier progress under Congress. He argued that the promises on job creation, farmers’ welfare, and manufacturing were recycled slogans lacking measurable outcomes, criticising the absence of legal MSP guarantees, failure to waive farm loans, and erosion of federalism. Ramesh also accused Modi of politicising Independence Day by mentioning the RSS, calling it a desperate move ahead of his 75th birthday and alleging that the PM, weakened after the 2024 election results, is now dependent on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his tenure extension. He warned that Modi’s address failed to acknowledge pressing issues like unemployment, economic distress, and widening inequality, instead offering a “bland mix of self-congratulation and selective storytelling.”
In her Independence Day message, President Droupadi Murmu lauded Operation Sindoor as a landmark in humanity’s fight against terrorism and paid tribute to freedom fighters while emphasising the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. She noted the nation’s 6.5% GDP growth, infrastructure expansion, and welfare initiatives aimed at both the poor and those vulnerable to falling back into poverty. Murmu said the government’s rising expenditure on social services and narrowing regional disparities show progress toward inclusive growth, with previously lagging states catching up to the front-runners. She called for collective resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047, stressing that every citizen deserves equal access to healthcare, education, and opportunity. Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, joined by Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders, hoisted the national flag at Indira Bhawan in Delhi, marking the occasion with party workers.
