Flashback August 15, 2004: Manmohan Singh’s definition of government & bureaucratic stranglehold

PM delivering his maiden speech from ramparts of Red Fort

PRIME Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, for the 10th time in a row, on the occasion of Independence Day, 2013. A pure political document with coming elections in mind, the speech had no reference to civil services. Flashback 2004. Singh, India’s only bureaucrat-turned Prime Minister, defined “government” and talked about “stranglehold of bureaucracy” when he delivered his maiden Independence Day speech. This is what he said on August 15, 2004: