Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview to ANI on New Year’s Day has received some ridicule on Twitter, with the Congress leading the charge by calling it a “monologue” and several users pointing out how he made the conversation about himself.
In his interview, Modi had spoken on a range of topics, from farm loan waivers and surgical strikes to the Opposition alliance for the national elections and the Ram temple matter. Some of his key points were his reference to the Congress’s farm loan waivers as a “lollipop” and his remark that a Ram temple ordinance is not possible before the Supreme Court judgement is given in the case. He also said one surgical strike will not “change” Pakistan, and called the Opposition alliance merely a coalition against him.
The Congress summarised the prime minister’s interview as “I, Me, Mine, Myself”. The party also listed 10 questions for the prime minister, seeking answers on promises on jobs and black money and policies such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax.
The interview elicited a fairly negative response on Twitter, with many users mocking or criticising it while some offered unqualified praise. Those who criticised the interview felt that Modi’s answers were old and common, and that the questions put to him had been vetted earlier. Some said he was finally being “forced” to do interviews to improve his image.
Several users mocking Modi implied that the prime minister was both asking and answering the questions, or that the interviewer sought to help Modi. Twitter users who liked the interview, on the other hand, offered fulsome praise, asserting that the prime minister answered all questions put to him by the Opposition. Some even compared him to legendary historical figures, making their tweets unintentionally funny.
Here are some reactions following the interview:
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