Y-shaped ramp, online registration, ‘naraz fufa’ dig: PM Modi’s Vadodara Gen Z outreach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest outreach to the youth took a distinctly Gen Z turn on Tuesday (September 8) as he attended the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ programme at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara, Gujarat.

The Gen Z touch in the Prime Minister’s approach was not just limited to the Y-shaped ramp, but it became apparent in the peppy songs played during his arrival at the event, along with his continued use of quirky phrases even while launching political attacks on the Opposition.

The development comes as both the ruling BJP at the Centre and the Opposition parties, including the Congress, have stepped up efforts to woo the Gen Z following the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led agitation in New Delhi in July against alleged exam irregularities, after which Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as the Union Education Minister.

Gen Z touch to Y-shaped ramp

The event had little resemblance to a conventional government programme. A special ‘Y’-shaped ramp was built for the Prime Minister, allowing him to walk closer to young people seated around it with mobile phones in their hands.

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PM Modi walked along the ramp, waving to students and professionals as a fusion of Queen’s 1977 hit ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Aari Aari’ from Dhurandhar: The Revenge played in the background.

The organisers also introduced an online registration system for entry to a government event for the first time. Attendees could register for free through BookMyShow, while the Vadodara Municipal Corporation used a private digital platform to manage registrations.

Quirky phrases in political digs

The youth-focused format was paired with large development announcements. The programme included projects involving rail and freight connectivity, while technology, lighting, multimedia and broadcast equipment were used to give the event a contemporary format.

Also Read: As Gen Z rises, Modi's magic falters and Rahul finds his voice

PM Modi also used the occasion to attack the Opposition, calling critics “Naraz Fufa ji”. "The freight corridor project was conceived in 2004, but nothing moved till BJP came to power in 2014," he said as quoted by India Today.

"One naraz fufa ji will be crying out, ‘What will the truck drivers do?’ Uncle Ji now has work,” added the Prime Minister.

PM Modi takes Gen Z pitch to Rahul

The PM’s latest Gen Z outreach also involved taking a dig at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s effort to woo the youth with his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' initiative.

"At every nook and corner, you will find people who will try to mislead you through 'Jooth Ki Goonj', but today's youth will stand with the truth," the PM said.

The prime minister said the youth could see how focused the government was on working across sectors, including solar, wind, hydro and nuclear energy.

AI push in Gen Z outreach

PM Modi also called upon the youth to become experts in AI. "Youth of the country have to become experts in AI, and we want our youth to excel in the field," he added.

The outreach comes as the BJP seeks to maintain a stronger connection with younger audiences, with PM Modi himself increasingly using youth-oriented language during public appearances.

Also Read: Gen Z vs Gen Z: Ideological war looms as India celebrates 80th I-Day

The Vadodara event follows PM Modi’s recent efforts to speak in a language familiar to younger audiences. Last week, at the Shri Ram College of Commerce Centenary event in Delhi, he used Gen Z terms such as “OG” and “flex” while addressing students and alumni.

During the speech, PM Modi said, "Saying that you are an SRCC alumnus is a flex." He also described the college’s alumni as “the real OG”.

(With agency inputs)