In his maiden Independence Day speech in 2014 from the historic ramparts of the Red Fort in the Indian capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke on the issue of rape and sexual violence against women in the country.

Raking up the issue was a political necessity because the Nirbhaya rape case in December 2012 had added to the erosion of the UPA’s credibility. In order to harness public anger on this, Modi’s spin doctors and publicists coined a catchy slogan: ‘Bahut Hua Nari Pe Waar, Abki Baar Modi Sarkar.’ Modi’s speech was widely appreciated, even ...