During PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech, Jaitley, Parrikar, Kejriwal take catnap

NEW DELHI: Cutting across party lines, several politicians today caught a few winks this morning at Red Fort, during PM Narendra Modi's mammoth, 94-minute-long Independence Day address.

BJP politicians Arun Jaitley, Manohar Parrikar and Ananth Kumar, and their bête noire, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, all looked like they were asleep - or concentrating really hard on what the PM was saying.

Dhyan mudra pic.twitter.com/9e7EWTgTmA

— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) August 15, 2016

The speech was the longest Independence Day speech in history. PM Modi broke his own record from last year, when he made a speech that in turn reportedly broke a record held by the first Indian PM, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Modi's address was chock-a-block with statistics, lists of achievements, a clarion call to eliminate discrimination and a strong message to Pakistan. The best of that, though - the shaming of Pakistan - Modi left till the end. That would have woken anyone, not just Pakistan.

Perhaps Jaitley et al, sneaked in some vipassana meditation like the Delhi chief minister recently did.

Returning back from 10 day Vipassna course. Feeling v fresh n energetic

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 11, 2016

Or, as AAP politician Manish Sisodia put it:

लगता है प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी की स्पीच काफी बोरिंग थी। https://t.co/7KVZw9kUaM

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 15, 2016

Some others seemed to agree.

Evidently nobody in government/BJP who can give PM frank feedback: "I'm sorry sir, but this speech will put even Manmohan Singh to sleep."

— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) August 15, 2016