Modi’s 11th Independence Day address from the Red Fort was also his longest address, lasting 98 minutes.
Invocation Supreme Courtto bring out the decisions and incentives of UCC As to the wishes of the makers of the Constitution, Modi said, “Several orders have been issued which reflect the perception of a significant section of our population – and rightly so – that the present civil code is akin to a communal civil code, which is discriminatory. As we celebrate 75 years of the Constitution, we must have a comprehensive discussion on this subject as the Supreme Court advocates this change… Laws that divide our country on the basis of religion and promote discrimination have no place in modern society.”
This was arguably the first time a plea for UCC was made from the Red Fort and it seemed significant because the BJP was banking on allies like the TDP and the JD(U), who had earlier parted ways with the saffron party over its core agenda. The PM showed his intent to attack the opposition despite its small numbers by calling the current plan to allow minority communities to have their own personal laws communal.
The prime minister also used his 11th Independence Day address – a feat that only the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru has managed so far – to attack the opposition on a range of issues ranging from women’s safety, references to rapes in West Bengal, dynastic politics and attempts to create “anarchy”. He also gave a strong message to Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus.
Wearing the turban that has become his trademark on Independence Day, Modi tried to stick to the overall theme of building a developed nation and vowed to “triple our efforts” in his third term and work “24×7” to achieve this ambition by 2047.
He did not announce new schemes. Instead, the speech included examples highlighting his government’s achievements over the past 10 years – from cleaning up bank balance sheets to providing electricity to every village, building modern infrastructure and taking steps towards making life easier – while arguing that the results of the changes, including rapid economic growth and doubling of per capita income, confirmed that steps were taken “in the right direction”.
While the main message was that the government is “here to serve each one of you, each family and each region” through 100% schemes, the Prime Minister repeatedly mentioned the focus on Dalits, Adivasis, women, youth and farmers – constituencies that the Opposition is targeting to garner a large share of votes.
But in a departure from his and his predecessors’ Independence Day speeches, Modi sought to address the BJP’s core supporters on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a move that was expected to be shelved by the party due to post-poll alliance compulsions.
With BJP-ruled Uttarakhand having already implemented the Uniform Civil Code and other states moving in this direction, Modi’s remarks could point to a central legislation or a model law that would have to be implemented smartly.
Similarly, he questioned another priority of ‘One Nation One Election’ and argued that holding frequent elections was hampering progress, contrary to the popular belief that low numbers would force him to postpone some of his pet ideas that others had been opposing.
Advocating another electoral shift, condemning dynastic politics and casteism, Modi suggested that one lakh young people with no political connections should join parties. “To begin with, we want to bring forward one lakh young people whose families have no political background – whose parents, siblings, uncles, aunts have never joined politics in any generation. We want new blood, one lakh such talented young people, whether in the panchayat, municipal corporation, district council, state assembly or Lok Sabha.”
Without mentioning the opposition, he said there was a section which did not appreciate the changes taking place in the country and cautioned that they could obstruct progress.
“There are some people who are unable to think beyond their own welfare and do not care for the welfare of others. Such people are a matter of concern because of their distorted mindset. The country must avoid such people who are steeped in pessimism. When such a handful of people, consumed by their negativity, spread such toxicity, it leads to anarchy, destruction, chaos and serious setbacks, which take a lot of effort to rectify. These pessimistic elements are not only depressing; they are promoting a negative mindset that dreams of destruction and wants to undermine our collective progress.”
