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Sunday, August 31, 2025
TopicGreat Speeches

Topic: Great Speeches

Feudals prevent SC/ST, minorities, women from voting: Rajiv Gandhi on electoral reforms

On 15 December 1988, PM Rajiv Gandhi spoke in the Lok Sabha while introducing comprehensive electoral reforms, including lowering the voting age from 21 to 18, and introducing measures to protect secular values in elections.

People of Assam, we’ll fight to the end until it’s victory for us: Nehru during Chinese invasion

On 19 November 1962, PM Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the people of Assam in a radio address and spoke of the resolve against Chinese attack, saying India won't tolerate this invasion.

Congress must show statesmanship, make concessions to the prejudices of Muslim League: Ambedkar

On 17 December 1946, BR Ambedkar addressed the Muslim League's absence from the Constituent Assembly, urging the Congress to show statesmanship and avoid Hindu-Muslim conflict through conciliation.

Limits on nuclear programme today will tie our hands in future: Vajpayee on India-US deal

On 3 August 2005, Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke in Lok Sabha and warned that the India-US nuclear deal could compromise India's strategic autonomy in the long run.

It’s curious even scientists discard spirit of science in daily life, become unscientific: Nehru

On 22 April 1950, PM Nehru spoke at the opening of the Fuel Research Institute in Dhanbad, urging India to see science as a force against conservatism and a tool to think and act freely.

Moksha, not motor cars—BR Shenoy’s idea of a truly Indian welfare state

In a 1957 lecture, free-market economist BR Shenoy warned that India's welfare state must stay rooted in Dharma, not drift toward consumerist excess.

Not missiles or sovereignty, but social unity is the true force behind foreign policy: PN Haksar

In 1974, PN Haksar delivered the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on the evolution of India's foreign policy. Here's an excerpt from his speech.

Tamil people do not bow in shame, nor lower their head in defeat: M Karunanidhi on Tamil pride

On 15 September 1986, the DMK stalwart delivered a stirring address in Chennai, weaving poetry with politics, defending Tamil cultural heritage while reflecting on electoral defeats with unwavering pride.

No place for armed liberation struggle in a democracy: P Chidambaram on Left-wing extremism

On 14 September 2009, then-home minister P Chidambaram spoke to senior police chiefs in New Delhi, outlining internal security threats such as Naxalism and insurgencies.

If Pakistan doesn’t halt aggression, India may be compelled to enter Pakistan: VK Menon at UN

On 23-24 January 1957, VK Krishna Menon delivered a historic speech at UN Security Council defending India’s position on Kashmir.

On Camera

From Vedanta, India turned to Nehruvian socialism and buried its liberal roots: Sharad Joshi

An Indian Hitler will have to be exceptionally lucky to survive for any length of time. This much hope ought to be enough for seekers of liberty and equality, wrote Sharad Anantrao Joshi, president of Swatantra Bharat Paksh party, in 1995.

Easy loans, uneasy ‘debt traps’. Women harassed by private lenders ask ‘who will restore lost dignity?’

A public meeting, where the women voiced their protest, took place this month in Delhi, grounded on the findings of an AIDWA survey, covering 9,000 women borrowers.

Ahead of SCO meet, Russia & China stage maiden joint submarine patrol in Sea of Japan, East China Sea

Joint submarine patrol ‘covered more than 2,000 nautical miles’ and was joined by Russian support vessels. Beijing maintains exercise ‘not directed against any third party’.

For Indian Mercedes, Asim Munir’s dumper truck in mirror is closer than it appears

From Munir’s point of view, a few bumps here and there is par for the course. He isn’t going to drive his dumper truck to its doom. He wants to use it as a weapon.