New Delhi: Former Defence Secretary R.K. Mathur has recalled the circumstances in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi did away with the long-standing practice of using a bulletproof glass enclosure during the Independence Day address at the Red Fort.
Mathur said that before August 15, 2014—Modi’s first Independence Day speech as Prime Minister—security officials briefed him on the arrangements. They explained that the Red Fort stage could be clearly viewed from nearby areas with buildings, including around Chandni Chowk, and that the bulletproof glass was part of the security plan.
According to Mathur, Modi rejected the proposal and asked that the bulletproof glass be removed. Officials reiterated the need for the protective barrier, but Modi remained firm.
Mathur said Modi told the security team that he would not deliver the speech if the bulletproof glass was not taken away. Following this, the barrier was removed overnight between August 14 and 15, at around 2 am, he added.
The move marked a visible break from the earlier practice followed by previous prime ministers, who typically addressed the nation from within the protective glass enclosure.
