Fifteen years after their inception, youth-led protests across India have significantly impacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political image. Demonstrations in Delhi and other cities have seen young people using satire and memes to express anger and discontent, targeting Modi himself rather than specific government officials.
The protests have transformed Modi, who has been promoted through extensive public advertising campaigns, into the subject of viral, humorous, and often profane slogans and imagery. The protesters have deliberately deconstructed and inverted elements of Modi's political brand through what has been described as an "Instagrammable" display of dissent.
A notable example of this protest tactic is the unofficial anthem of the movement, a call-and-response chant: "Chappan inch ka chhota bandar," followed by the crowd's chorus, "Bhaag Narendra, Bhaag Narendra." This translates to "The little monkey with the 56-inch chest. Run Narendra, Run Narendra!" A viral video that popularized the chant features two young women leading the chant while a man displays a poster depicting Modi as a small monkey.
These efforts, armed with a proliferation of memes, have delivered what is described as a "fatal blow" to the carefully constructed image of the Indian leader, according to reports from the protests.