PM Modi Keeps His Promise With Shortest Independence Day Speech In 4 Years

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised an Independence Day speech under 50 minutes this year. He went just over at 54 minutes. Today's address to the nation from the Red Fort was the Prime Minister's shortest so far in the last four years.

During last month's Mann Ki Baat -- his radio programme - PM Modi had said he had received letters from people complaining that his Independence Day speeches were "a little too long". He had then promised to make a shorter speech.

At 54 minutes, PM Modi's address today was the shortest by far since his first speech from the Red Fort in 2014; his Independence Day addresses had been getting longer by the year. PM Modi had spoken for 94 minutes last year, 86 minutes in 2015 and 65 minutes in 2014.

He had asked people to send in suggestions for this year's speech and he received more than 8000.

The Prime Minister talked today about the need to "take the country ahead with the determination of creating a New India," by 2022, the 75th year of India's Independence. He outlined his vision for that, also presenting a report card if his government's achievements.

PM Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh, who delivered 10 speeches over his long tenure at the helm, stuck to the 50-minute mark in his Independence Day speeches.

While he delivered speeches that lasted 50 minutes only on two occasions -- 2005 and 2006, during remaining eight years, his speech ranged from 32 to 45 minutes.

PM Modi's party colleague and the first BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke for 30-35 minutes in his Independence Day addresses.

On August 2002, he delivered a speech that lasted 25 minutes, while in 2003 he gave a 30-minute address from the historic 17th century Mughal monument.

(with inputs from PTI and IANS)