79th Independence Day: A look at 1st I-day speeches of India's last four PMs
As India awaits PM Modi's 12th I-Day speech, let us have a look at the first I-day speeches of last 4 PMs India had.
In his first ever Independence Day speech as a Prime Minister in 2014, Modi, who had recently taken charge of India, spoke of taking India to newer heights. Referring to the 68th Independence Day, he said: 'This National festival inspires us to resolve ourselves to lead a life where our character gets refined further, to dedicate ourselves to the nation and our every activity is linked to the interest of the nation and only then this festival of freedom can be a festival of inspiration to take India to newer heights.'
Dr Manmohan Singh, who was sworn in as a Prime Minister in 2004, addressed his first Independence Day speech in that year, where he emphasised the need for good governance and 'code of conduct for political parties and everyone in public life' to uphold the 'values enshrined in the constitution'. He underlined that the power of the people is greater than the power of any government.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's first I-day speech as PM in 1998 came just a few months after the Pokhran tests. Crediting former PM Indira Gandhi for laying the foundation for these tests, Vajpayee reiterated that nuclear tests were not meant for war. He also spoke about resolving all issues with Pakistan and China through discussions.
Inder Kumar Gujral's first and last address as India's Prime Minister coincided with India completing 50 years of Independence on August 15, 1997. Gujral used the occassion to call for a 'satyagraha' against corruption. He admitted the 'hesitation' in Indian politics to give equal space to women and advocated for equal rights to men and women thereby making gender equity a key theme of his speech.
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