Thaindian News

By Vishnu Makhijani
New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) When Manmohan Singh speaks from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day Saturday, he will become the fourth prime minister to address the nation on more than five consecutive occasions.

In the process, he will match Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s record of six Independence Day addresses from the 17th century fort which is at the core of nationwide celebrations every Aug 15.

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister (1947-64), gave the address a total of 17 times. His daughter and third prime minister Indira Gandhi spoke from the Red Fort 16 times — spread over two tenures.

Manmohan Singh will also be only the second prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to deliver the Red Fort address after returning to office after the completion of a full five-year term.

Indira Gandhi completed her full term in 1977 when she was voted out. Although she returned to power after a gap in January 1980, her tenure was cut short briefly when she was assassinated Oct 31, 1984.

Manmohan Singh first addressed the nation from the Red Fort Aug 15, 2004, shortly after his surprise elevation to the country’s top post.

This was after his Congress party cobbled together the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition following the May 2004 general elections.

Rajiv Gandhi served as prime minister in 1984-89 and got to address the nation on five successive occasions.

Vajpayee was prime minister on three occasions (13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998-99 and then in 1999-2004). He spoke from the Red Fort six years in a row.

Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh apart, India has had eight other prime ministers. Of them, only one - Chandra Shekhar (1990-91) - never got to address the nation from the Red Fort.

Lal Bahadur Shastri, who succeeded Nehru, served in 1964-66 and addressed the nation on Independence Day twice.

Morarji Desai assumed office in 1977 after Indira Gandhi’s long innings ended in an electoral defeat. He was in office for two years and addressed the nation on as many occasions.

Charan Singh, who succeeded Desai, ruled India for a mere six months but managed one Independence Day address.

V.P. Singh, who became prime minister in 1989, served for a little under a year and delivered one Independence Day address.

After Chandra Shekhar, P.V. Narasimha Rao became the first prime minister after Rajiv Gandhi to serve a full term (1991-96) and addressed the nation on five occasions.

Thereafter, H.D. Deve Gowda (1996-97) addressed the nation once as did his successor Inder Kumar Gujral (1997-98).

The tradition of prime ministers speaking to the people from the Mughal-built Red Fort began on Aug 15, 1947 when Nehru spoke amid wild nationwide celebrations to mark the end of the British Raj.

Since then, Aug 15 addresses became an occasion for prime ministers to spell out their vision for the nation and the agenda for the coming times.

In earlier years, the lawns facing the Red Fort saw happy, carefree crowds converging to hear their prime ministers. After years of terrorism, the Red Fort now turns into a virtual fortress every Aug 15.