Are We All Fools?: Oppn Irked By PM Modi’s Comments In Rajya Sabha, Twitter Takes Umbrage At ‘Andolan Jivi’ Tag

As farmers protest at Delhi’s borders and eminent personalities, both in India and abroad rail against the Indian government, Prime Minister Modi on Monday hit out at dissenters during a speech in the Rajya Sabha. In remarks that have since gone viral, he emphasised the need to protect the nation from ‘Foreign Destructive Ideology’ and ‘Andolan Jivi’.

“We are well aware of some terms like ‘Shram Jivi’ and ‘Buddhi Jivi’. But, I am seeing that from some time a new entity has come up in this country- ‘Andolan Jivi’. This community can be spotted wherever there is a protest, be it agitation by lawyers, students, or labourers, sometimes at the forefront and sometimes from behind.

They cannot live without protests. We have to identify such people and protect the nation from them. They are parasites,” said the prime minister while replying to the motion of thanks on President’s address in Rajya Sabha.

And even as a part of social media pounced gleefully on his new acronym for FDI and began debating who could be called “andolan jivi”, Opposition parties and leaders were not too happy. The Aam Aadmi Party’s social media team busied itself unearthing posts by social media handles associated with the Prime Minister that had in the past praised protestors.

In a series of tweets the party, whose leaders have been vocal in their support for the ongoing protests, countered points raised by Modi. Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments on MSP for example, the AAP wondered why the same information had not been mentioned in the disputed laws.