How PM Modi got trolled for his address at World Economic Forum
At the World Economic Forum's opening session held in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s keynote address was among those many looked forward to, both at home and internationally. In his speech, Modi, juggling between English and Hindi, touched upon a lot of key subjects. "Last time an Indian PM came to Davos was in 1997, when Deve Gowda ji had come. That time our GDP was little more than 400 billion dollars, now it’s more than six times," he said.
The speech had barely begun when Narendra Modi was faced with online backlash. Some, true to their intentions, only chose to troll. Others, however, pointed out either factual inconsistencies, or disingenuous claims made by the prime minister at the international forum.
Modi got trolled
I have a special bond with Davos. People often tell me " Modi ji bade bade Davos kuch nahi hota, kuch kaam karke dikhao "
— Narendra Modi (@Troll_Modi) January 23, 2018
PA " Sir, International platform hai, thoda dekh kar fenkna, manage nahi kar payenge "Modi ji " abe kuch nahi hoga, tu ek aur joint bana " pic.twitter.com/oi9OYz1GTY
— Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) January 23, 2018
If you want #Vikas come to India and put up a Pakoda stall. https://t.co/3dDqoSzsh5
— Whirling Dervesh (@WhirlingDervesh) January 23, 2018
"If you want to be murdered for eating a hamburger, come to India" https://t.co/NVCrT8pROU
— Performative Woke Bro (@AListRap) January 23, 2018
What is data? Me: pic.twitter.com/rYM1elqTZI
— P̴o̶p̴a̶l̷z̴a̸i̵ (@spopalzai) January 23, 2018
And Rahul Gandhi joined in
Even Congress president Rahul Gandhi could not help himself, and took a dig at the PM's grand claims in the wake of the widening wealth disparity in India.
Dear PM,Welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India’s population gets 73% of its wealth? I’m attaching a report for your ready reference. https://t.co/lLSNOig5pE
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 23, 2018
And memes...
There was also a section of Indian Twitter that could not keep itself from putting out a rather meme-worthy photo of PM Modi from Davos.
???????????????????? pic.twitter.com/uHpVNenX5Y
— sane_insane (@Aawara86) January 23, 2018
WINTER IS COMING pic.twitter.com/GfTuYE4cre
— Ad. Gen. अलादीन (@vickytnwr) January 23, 2018
when elections are over pic.twitter.com/X6b9gu6WtH
— Sarkarsm ✘ (@thebakwaashour) January 23, 2018
— Asjadullah Khan???????? (@AsjadullahKhan5) January 23, 2018
Modi got the brickbats
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994. #Kuchbhi https://t.co/v68yCaAYFM
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) January 23, 2018
Back home, Modi's government buys more time (5 years) for coal plants to enforce crucial pollution norms, letting 400 plants off the hook. #Davos #Doublespeak https://t.co/hK56ZStN80 https://t.co/iaH8yPNdQg
— Aruna Chandrasekhar (@aruna_sekhar) January 23, 2018
Yes, it 'was' not 'is', evident the way democratic institutions are bulldozed. The #SC mutiny was a glaring example! https://t.co/gLMVhu1t85
— Romit Vincent Singh (@romitvsingh) January 23, 2018
India PM Modi speaks in Davos of a “shared future.” Waiting for him to stand up to the Hindu nationalists and mention India’s Muslim community as a part of that future. Or the present. #WEF2018 pic.twitter.com/18DvsY1y7I
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) January 23, 2018
If only this India existed at present... https://t.co/AORTpGDjD7
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) January 23, 2018
Abhi tak aapki government ladh rahi hai ki Akhlaq ke fridge mein beef thha toh aap chup kijiye. https://t.co/PyPBDcJzEW
— pizzakriti (@akrii_p) January 23, 2018
Of course, the most backlash came in the form of an unfortunate factual error the PM made in his address. Modi said, "In 2014 after 30 years, the 600 crore Indians provided a complete majority to any political party to form govt at the centre. We took the resolution for the development of everyone and not just a specific group." People on social media wasted no time reminding the PM that the population of India is, in fact, somewhere around the 134 crore mark, and that in 2014, the Bharatiya Janta Party was voted into power with a 78.8 per cent majority, taking the figure lower.
International Feku Caught Faking Again!Says, 600 Crore People Voted for BJP in 2014. Which means, 80+% of World Population voted for BJP in 2014. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/eFVR9pAMOm
— Unofficial Sususwamy (@swamv39) January 23, 2018
Unrelated: India’s Population is 134 Crores. But 600 Crore Indians voted for Modi Government https://t.co/dgKetPmTFV
— Joy (@Joydas) January 23, 2018
600 crore people voted for bjp in 2014 ???????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/57l1gWZDyV
— maanmohan singh pahujaa (@msgpahujaa) January 23, 2018
Teleprompter pe 600 million likha tha toh million ko crore samjh baithe computer kaka ????????
— Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) January 23, 2018
600 crore !!! does it include cows too ?
— M&C (@mridula2c) January 23, 2018