Gift of the gab: A look at Narendra Modi's lengthiest Independence Day speeches

Modi's speech was a total of 89 minutes where he spoke about Covid-19, Manipur violence and dynastic politics in India, among other things.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 addressed the nation for the tenth consecutive time on the occasion of Independence Day from the Red Fort in Delhi. His speech was a total of 89 minutes, where he spoke about Covid-19, the Manipur violence, and dynastic politics in India, among other things.

PM Modi's lengthiest I-Day speeches:

While this year certainly was one of the longer speeches PM Modi has ever delivered, his address in 2016 lasted 96 minutes, making it by far Modi's lengthiest address on Independence Day.

The PM's second-lengthiest address on I-Day came in 2019, when he spoke for 92 minutes.

On the other end of the spectrum, Modi spoke for a mere 56 minutes in 2017—his shortest I-Day speech—and his speech in 2014, his first as Prime Minister, lasted 65 minutes.

Setting the tone for 2024:

While the PM's speeches always instigate some sort of a reaction from the Opposition, his address on Tuesday to mark India's 77th Independence Day was met with harsh criticism from the Opposition, who called it a “crass election speech” ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Commenting on the PM's speech, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said in a statement, “PM Modi’s failures in the last 9 years can be categorised under ‘durniti’ (bad policies), ‘anyay’ (injustice) and ‘badniyat’ (ill intention).”

“Rhetoric and bluster can no longer cover up this truth which is now evident to the entire country. Our statement on his Independence Day speech,” said the grand old party as it slammed PM Modi.

The PM also assured his audience that he will be back at the Red Fort next year with a sense of confidence that did not go down well with Opposition parties: hitting out at Modi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that Modi would indeed be hoisting the national flag on I-Day next year, but from his home and not from the Red Fort.

Earlier, Opposition leaders such as Mamata Banerjee and Lalu Prasad Yadav had also claimed that Modi's speech from the Red Fort this year would be his last as Prime Minister of India.