ThePrint CutTheClutter: Why Modi's longest I-Day speech is also the most political & significance of his unusual RSS praise
Aug 15, 2025
During a captivating discussion, the Prime Minister's extensive 104-minute Independence Day speech is analyzed as his most politically charged address yet. The unusual praise for the RSS signals a significant shift in Indian politics. Key topics include the introduction of a caste count in the census, the declining influence of Maoism in tribal areas, and India's strides toward self-reliance in sectors like semiconductors and fertilizers. The implications of these efforts are explored, especially as the country approaches pivotal elections.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Most Political And Longest I-Day Speech
- Modi's 2025 Red Fort speech was his longest at 103 minutes and marked a clear ideological tilt.
- Shekhar Gupta calls it the most political and ideologically significant of his twelve I-Day addresses.
Unprecedented Praise For RSS From Red Fort
- For the first time a prime minister praised the RSS from the Red Fort in an openly laudatory way.
- Gupta says this public tribute signals a major political and ideological shift.
240 Seats Changed BJP-RSS Dynamics
- The RSS's newfound public prominence follows the BJP losing a majority in 2024 and needing coalition partners.
- Gupta links the 240-seat outcome to the BJP re-embracing RSS influence and coalition politics.