I&B ministry scrambles to cover Narendra Modi's 'extempore' Independence Day speech

NEW DELHI: The irony is hard to miss. Around this time last year, the I&B ministry under Manish Tewari had delivered a sharp rap on the knuckles to news channels for creating "artificial competition" and comparing then PM Manmohan Singh's I-Day speech with that of then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi.

This year, the same ministry has advised channels to ensure that PM Modi's speech and the accompanying sign language translation is carried.

Breaking from tradition, Modi will speak extempore when he delivers his first Independence Day address from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on Friday morning in which he is expected to outline his vision and agenda for his tenure.

Sources said there was considerable trepidation over this since Doordarshan and All India Radio, which broadcast the speech live, and the Press Information Bureau are usually given an advanced copy.

However, this year the officials have to make-do with just "prompter points" that is broad headlined points on which the PM will build his speech. The added complication is that the officials will have to supplement the transmission with scrolls on TV and updates on social media including live tweeting the speech.

"We have a large team of PIB officials and translators who will have to work in coordination to ensure accurate updates are sent on social media and TV," an official said.

This is the first time that the speech will be streamed live on Youtube to cater to the vast international audience. "There is large diaspora that is has a deep interest in this PM and we hope that our social media updates will address their needs," an official said.

In his address, the PM is expected to outline his vision and spell out the agenda in terms of programmes and policies to be implemented during his tenure. He is also expected to speak on issues related to foreign policy.