New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brief ‘snack break’ during election campaigning in poll-bound West Bengal on April 19 has taken social media by storm, with photos and videos of him relishing a local street snack and interacting with a vendor drawing massive engagement.
PM Modi’s visit to a jhalmuri stall has clocked more than 100 million views within 24 hours of being shared on Instagram, and garnered over 90 million views on Facebook Reels. The metrics, gathered from his personal handles, indicate strong public interest in the Prime Minister’s ‘jhalmuri moment’ in the poll-bound state.
The Prime Minister addressed four back-to-back rallies in West Bengal on Sunday — in Purulia, Jhargram, Medinipur, and Bishnupur. During his visit to Jhargram, he stopped at a small shop and tried jhalmuri, a popular and crunchy street snack from the state.
Photos and videos shared from the Prime Minister’s personal social media accounts quickly went viral, with users widely sharing and commenting on his interaction with the vendor and local residents.
Interestingly, Google search interest for the street snack “jhalmuri” has reached its highest level in the past 22 years, according to available internet data.
In the video clip, the Prime Minister is seen enjoying jhalmuri at the local stall, interacting with residents, and sharing smiles, creating a moment of informal outreach amid the campaign trail.
The Prime Minister was also seen offering to pay. The vendor initially declined but later accepted the payment after his insistence.
When the vendor asked if he wanted onions in the snack, the Prime Minister responded with a light-hearted remark: “Haan, pyaaz khaate hain. Dimag nahi khaate bass” (Yes, I eat onions, I just don’t eat brains).
The viral video also sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many users discussing his relatable behaviour and witty humour.
The breaking of protocol by Prime Minister to visit a local shop was also seen as risky and dangerous reach out, by some others.
(IANS)
