94-minute speech heralds 70th I-Day

NEW DELHI: The atmosphere was abuzz with excitement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on the 70th Independence Day celebrations. Thousands of people started making their way inside the high-security Mughal citadel and queues had started to form up as early as 4am.
While Independence Day has tended to be marked by overcast skies in the past few years, the sun had started to peek through the clouds as the day advanced.Noise levels started to rise as enthusiastic schoolchildren, a majority of them being at the venue for the first time, waited for the PM’s arrival.
By 6.30am, diplomats, ministers and officials were seated as the giant screen lit up with achievements of India’s glorious past even as patriotic songs reverberated around the monument. The compere recited famous sayings, mentioning freedom fighters and spoke about India’s bright future ahead to rounds of applause.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gurcharan Kaur, CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad reached the venue soon after.
The air was palpable with patriotism, tying ordinary citizens, officials, diplomats and children, all as one under this historic monument. The schoolchildren had formed a ‘70’ by then, to mark the 70 years of Independence.
Around 7.10am, the guard of honour made its first appearance with the contingent comprising one officer and 24 men each from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Delhi Police, marching on and lining up in front of the entrance.
Minutes later, the giant screen shifted to the PM’s convoy arriving in Lahori Gate as a roar erupted from the spectators. Clad in a white half-sleeved kurta and a pink-yellow turban, he was received by defence minister Manohar Parrikar, minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre and defence secretary G Mohan Kumar. The PM proceeded to inspect the guard of honour before heading to unfurl the flag as the National Anthem rung across Red Fort, synchronised to a 21-gun salute.
At 7.33 am, PM Modi began what was to be the longest Independence Day speech ever. Like last year, there was no teleprompter, no bulletproof glass and it was an extempore speech which carried on for 94 minutes. Every pause by the Prime Minister was welcomed with an applause by the crowd. Modi in his usual way ended his speech with a Bharat Mata ki Jai chant, which he urged others to repeat after him.
This was followed by the National Anthem sung by schoolchildren and NCC Cadets. When that got over, over a thousand balloons having the national colours were released to the air. The Red Fort was thrown open at the end.