India, Sept. 8 -- Mukul Kesavan was spot on and with the perfect metaphor! On the sacred day commemorating our independence on August 15, perched atop the ramparts of the glorious Red Fort plumed in saffron regalia, the lead Pracharak who doubles up as the country's Prime Minister, trolled the nation!

If you leave aside the trite Mann ki baat outpourings a la Franklin Roosevelt's fireside chats, the distinctive feature of the Independence Day address is that it is the only mandated occasion in the year when the head of the government speaks directly to his people on issues that matter in their lives. It is from this pulpit that he articulates the joys and sorrows, the aspirations, the challenges and the vision for a just and free society...