Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort this year was the longest of his political career. But length does not always translate into substance. Far from laying out a vision of inclusive progress for the teeming millions of India’s poor, Modi’s address was dominated by the language of nationalism, self-congratulation, and a conspicuous public endorsement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In doing so, he laid bare his reliance on communalist identity politics to maintain power at a time when India’s international prestige is sliding, its economy is faltering, and its neighbourhood is drifting into renewed hostility.

Instead of presenting tangible achievements for ordinary Indians—employment generation, affordable housing, food security, health care, and relief from inflation—Modi offered rhetorical symbolism rooted in his majoritarian worldview. In effect, he fed the people with nationalism while avoiding the harsh realities of poverty and inequality that define the lives of most Indians.

Gold prices rise by Rs 2,000 per Tola in local market despite global dip

What stood out most this year was Modi’s deliberate praise of the RSS, the ideological mother ship of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This was not a slip of the tongue or a fleeting acknowledgement; it was a calculated signal. By aligning himself openly with the RSS—an organization founded on exclusivist Hindu nationalist ideology—Modi sought to consolidate his support among the core communal base at a time when his broader popularity shows........

© The Nation