Friday, 10 January 2025
Friday, 10 January 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an internet phenomenon. He has 104.6 million followers on X, 92.2 million followers on Instagram and 26.5 million subscribers to his YouTube channel. He has his own radio programme, and the Indian government spent more than Rs 62 crore on Pariksha Pe Charcha, an annual event in which Prime Minister Modi advises schoolchildren on exam preparedness, in the last three years that also saw the suspension of a scholarship awarded to schoolchildren through the National Talent Search Examination.
Ergo, when news broke that Modi had appeared on his first podcast – on video to boot, with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath as the host asking incisive questions – it was only natural that it would set the virtual world alight.
However, among the many, many people who were wowed, there were also some unkind trolls who made snarky remarks. The Telegraph Online calls out a few of them.
The tough questions
One unkind X user questioned whether Kamath would ask PM Modi the burning issues that many want answers to.
"Bro hope you have asked simple questions: Why are people leaving India? How did we mess up Swachh Bharat? Where is the quality of highways going? What about retail inflation? Why have we not passed benefit of crude price fall? What about depreciating $?”
The god-complex jab
Another contrasted two quotes attributed to PM Modi, one claiming he was sent by non-biological and another emphasising his, with that viral line: " Ghar se nikalte hi… Kuch dur chalte hi…"
Nikhil Kamath gets Modi, Ranveer Allahbadia gets FOMO?
"Aisa kya hai usme jo mujh mein nahi..."
Comparing Kamath to popular podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps), one user hilariously imagined Allahbadia’s envy with a still from the Shah Rukh Khan film Chak De! India.
The Munnabhai connection
"Pooch na..."
A user imagined Modi prompting Kamath with “Ask me anything!” The visual, of Sanjay Dutt as Munnabhai, is as snarky as it gets.
Human, after all
A user posted "Thank u Modi jee for this clarification..." He was referring to the non-biological tag that opposition parties like the Congress have latched onto.
Suit-boot-type sarcasm
One user posted: "Man ki baat meets dhan ki baat..." Yes, it’s a witty way of pointing out that Modi is being interviewed by a millionaire, but it is still unkind.
Teleprompter trolling
One user asked: "Teleprompter serviced?"
Clearly, this person belongs to the hordes of critics who accuse PM Modi of never doing a press conference or taking unscripted, tough questions from journalists.
Behind-the-scenes friendship
One user poted: "Dosti ban rahe hai bas..."
Another unkind reference, this time to the famous interview of Modi with Karan Thapar in which Modi walked out midday, saying “dosti bani rahe” [our friendship should continue].
The Evolution of Modi
"Modiji doesn’t give interviews for YEARS after “Dosti bane rahe”. No chance to ask people’s questions on a neutral grounds Suddenly appears on a podcast. People : Modijiii!!! have to applaud modiji, always evolving with time."
A user praised Modi for embracing new media like podcasts after avoiding traditional interviews. Sarcasm alert.
The journalist challenge
"Ek podcast , mr thapar or ravish kumar k saath karwalo firto ... I promise one question at a time ..and there would no scarcity of glass water," posted a user, suggesting Modi should try sitting down with those journalists who constantly oppose him.
Chinaman delivery
One user posted: "Ye bolo china ghusa hi ya nahi"
Unfair. You expect the prime minister to talk about Chinese aggression? Really?
