By Ruma Dubey

The speech was surely superb – extempore and Modi with his famous mantras and quips. And it was long too! Truly, it is after a long, long time that we heard a PM speak so much and touch upon so many of our domestic issues. And the best part –it was not an uninspiring, read-out-from the pre-written script speech. It was a speech which will be played over and over again on all TV channels. It was wonderful to hear a leader who actually addressed the nation and surely, Modi won the hearts of many more Indians. He surely struck all the right notes with his speech, right from the heart. For once it was not a rah-rah speech where the PMs only go on to rhapsodize about the country; it was good to hear Modi speak all about our problems.

It was great to hear the PM address from the historic Red Fort and talk about toilets! Yes, as Modi said, one could wonder what was he thinking, talking about women in villages and girls in schools, facing major issues due to lack of toilets. But only those who have experienced a village life would know that this is a very real issue and it was heartwarming to hear the PM give this supposedly ‘small’ issue such a huge platform. A huge round of applause for that!

What was also wonderful to hear was the PM urging parents to question not just the daughters but sons when they leave home, ask them what they do, where do they go, who their friends are. This, in a predominantly patriarchal society, is a huge thing to say, asking parents to question the son. Surely all women are going to love this part the most about the speech!

If the market thought that Modi would be focused only on the capital markets, it could not have been more wrong. The PM used the platform of Independence Day to address major social issues while talking about making India a manufacturing hub for the world. Thus he took the path of both capitalism and socialism, something which a country like India needs; the right path for an Independence Day speech.

Female foeticide, problem of rising rapes in India, the need to change our attitude to the nation, farmer suicide, the curse of babudom, the defence personnel, dignity of women, poverty, the future of planning commission – he spoke about it all.

He announced a Financial inclusion program for the poor which will ensure they have a bank account. The scheme will provide debit cards and Rs.1. lakh insurance. Skill India scheme for making the youth employable was also announced. The need to strengthen our manufacturing sector, he gave an invitation to the world, “Come, make in India”, urging us to make ‘Made in India’ a world tag. He also asked people to reduce imports and manufacture locally and become a net exporter and the mantra here – “zero defect, zero effect”. Modi also put to rest a lot of doubts over the future of Planning Commission and stated that it has become archaic and needs to be revamped and announced that it would be replaced with a new body.

One can sit, dissect and do a complete postmortem of his speech, word-by-word and come up with a lot of things which he said, he did not say and could have said. But the point here is – he at least knows the issues faced by the country. Everything that he has promised might not get implemented, yet today, as Indians, we can finally feel some pride that we have a leader who can talk well and nurture the hope, that too after a long time, that good things could indeed happen in India.

Happy Independence Day to all!