PM Modi’s claims in Independence Day speeches vs Delivery: A fact file

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 10th Independence Day address on Tuesday from the iconic Red Fort in Delhi. PM Modi has also expressed a broad range of concepts in his Independence Day speeches, from the use of the Vedic word "Sangachhadhwam" or carrying along everyone, to a vow to combat corruption, to the "Pran" of rejecting "Ghulami ki Maansikta" or the attitude of slavery. On Tuesday, the PM gave his tenth address from the ramparts of Red Fort, the last Independence Day speech of his second term. 

However, PM Modi has announced a spate of claims during all of his Independence Day speeches—the latest being taking India into the top 3 economies during his third term. Here’s a fact file of PM Modi’s major claims during his Independence Day speeches and their deliveries by his government. 

Sanitation: 2014 vs 2023

In 2014, PM Modi spoke of bringing everyone along and presented himself as an "outsider" in the Lutyens' Delhi during his first address. In his first speech as the Prime Minister of India, he didn't shy away from recognising the efforts of the Opposition. He also raised the sanitation issue saying, “We are in the twenty-first century. Have we ever felt devastated watching our mothers and sisters defecate in the open? Is it not our shared duty to uphold women's dignity? The impoverished ladies of villages wait for the night to relieve themselves until it is completely dark. What physical suffering they must be experiencing, and how many diseases that act may cause.”

According to the written reply by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh in Lok Sabha over 11 crore toilets and 2.23 lakh community sanitary complexes have been built across all States and UTs under the Swachh Bharat Mission- Grameen. 

According to data provided by PIB on its website, below are the latest updates:

• On 2nd October 2019, all States/UTs self-reported themselves as Open Defecation Free (ODF)
• All districts uploaded certificates signed by DC/Magistrate confirming ODF status
• Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2022 covered 17,559 villages in 709 districts in 33 States/UTs across India interviewing 1,75,521 Households in 17,559 villages
• Based on SSG 2022, 95.4% of surveyed households have access to toilets and 95.4% of those having toilets have been using it regularly. 

Electrification: 2015 vs 2023

In 2015, PM Modi raked the electrification issue from the Red Fort as he stated that it was his government’s effort to provide all citizens with a house and access to basic services like electricity. He stated that the government had resolved to connect 18,500 villages without power with electricity in the next 1,000 days. According to a release by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) posted on 31 March 2023, A total of 2.817 crore households were electrified since the launch of the 'SAUBHAGYA' scheme, up to March 31, 2021. Thereafter, some States reported 11.84 lakh households remained to be electrified, against which States reported that 4.43 lakh households have been electrified.

Digitalisation India: 2016 vs 2023

In his 2016 Independence Day address, PM Modi highlighted the importance of digitalisation for transparency and good governance. He said, “We are now able to make changes to the system as a whole. Registration and doctor appointments are now available online and the treatment begins as soon as the patient arrives at the appointed time. His medical records are also accessible online. We also aim to spread this culture across the nation in the field of health.”

According to a report published in March 2023, India topped the list for electronic payments in 2022 with 89.5 million financial transactions. It's interesting to note that India made more digital payments than the following four biggest nations on the list put together. In 2022, India accounted for 46% of all real-time payments made worldwide, according to information published by MyGovIndia, the government of India's portal for facilitating public involvement. 

The plight of Muslim women: 2017 vs 2023

On August 15, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his fourth Independence Day address, in which he commended Muslim women who opposed the practice of Triple Talaq and said that the whole nation supports them.

From the ramparts of Red Fort, he said, “I honour the women who were forced to live wretched lives as a result of Triple Talaq and later launched a movement that created an environment to end the practice throughout the country.

Triple Talaq was declared unconstitutional by the Parliament of India in 2019 with the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament. 

Ayushman Bharat: 2018 vs 2023

In 2018, PM Modi addressed the country from the Red Fort and unveiled his signature initiative, Ayushman Bharat, or the National Health Protection Scheme.

According to Prime Minister Modi, the Ayushman Bharat programme would assist 50 million Indians or 10 crore families. 

According to the latest data, in the past five years, the Ayushman Bharat programme has served more than 5.39 billion admission events totalling Rs 66,284 crore. The overall cost of care would have been roughly twice as much if the recipients had sought the same treatment elsewhere than under AB-PMJAY's purview. Savings of more than Rs 1 lakh crore have been made as a consequence. Currently, the system authorises over 45,000 hospital admissions every day or around 31 treatments per minute. 

Article 370: 2019

In 2019, after hoisting the National Flag on Independence Day, the Prime Minister raised the issue of Article 370 and condemned the Opposition to the decision of repealing Article 370.

“Problems like Article 370 are not allowed to linger around our government. It is not right to delay things. Action is required now. The current government accomplished what took 70 years to do in just 70 days,” he said during his 2019 address. 

According to a PTI report, the number of tourists visiting the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 2022—over 1.62 crore—was the largest since its independence in 1947.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat: 2020 vs 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 2020 Independence Day address, stated that 130 crore Indians have vowed to create an "Atmanirbhar Bharat" and be "vocal for local" as the country completed 73 years of Independence.

To decrease imports of necessary goods and services, PM Modi reaffirmed the objective of making India self-sufficient, in his address. 

According to real estate consultancy, Cushman & Wakefield, which evaluated the 47 nations in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific (APAC) for the best sites for global manufacturing, India surpassed the US to emerge as the second-most desired manufacturing location globally, mostly due to cost competitiveness, as per a PTI report from 2021. Cushman and Wakefield said in a statement, "India takes the second spot after China as the most sought-after manufacturing destination globally." 

Gati ShaktiI: 2021 vs 2023 

On the 75th anniversary of Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi addressed the country while declaring that the PM Gati Shakti Plan will be implemented soon.

“The PM Gati Shakti Plan, a 100 lakh crore national infrastructure master plan, would be unveiled in the coming days. It will provide the groundwork for a comprehensive infrastructure and provide an integrated route for our economy,” he said. 

According to a report published by PIB in June 2023, India recorded its all-time high numbers in both the goods and services categories of exports. India nearly doubled its export levels from 2013–14 to 2022–23, reaching a total value of USD 776 billion.

Exports of goods made up a greater portion—nearly USD 450 billion—while services made an equivalent but smaller contribution—roughly USD 326 billion. Exports of agricultural products reached a record high of around USD 53 billion.

5G and 6G: 2022 vs 2023 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 15, 2022, that 5G mobile services will soon be available in India as he endorsed 'Made-in-India' technological answers to address the problems of the new India.

The Prime Minister said that the moment had come for India to enter the digital age, which would usher in changes across the board.

“Forget 5G; India will soon experience the 6G era,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked from the Red Fort in his address to the nation on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day.

PM Modi asserted that "We have formed a 6G task force," while referring to the development of 6G. He also noted that India has completed the quickest statewide deployment of 5G, with 700 districts presently utilising the nation's 5G network.