The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “Angry Uncles” remark, suggesting that the description better suited the Prime Minister himself.
Sharing a post by Modi on X, the party said: “Modi ji wrote this tweet after looking at himself in the mirror.” The response came after the Prime Minister, addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) Saturday, targeted those who, he said, habitually opposed government initiatives and questioned the need for development projects.
Modi targets critics
Addressing students, Modi said they would encounter two kinds of people after leaving the campus — those who channel society’s strength towards nation-building and those who become “Angry Uncles” whenever a new initiative is undertaken. He described the latter as “Naraz Fufas”, saying their “favourite job” was to oppose every initiative and repeatedly ask, “What is the need for this?”
Modi cited the Statue of Unity, high-speed rail, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), semiconductor manufacturing and the new Parliament building as examples of initiatives whose necessity had been questioned by critics.
Referring to the Statue of Unity, Modi said critics had asked why the country needed the project. He said similar questions were raised when work began on high-speed trains and when the government introduced UPI. The Prime Minister also referred to criticism surrounding the construction of the new Parliament building and a memorial for military personnel killed in service.
“But India has replied to all such ‘Fufas’. No one can stop India from doing what is necessary for the country,” Modi said.
Opposition under attack
The “Angry Uncles” remark formed part of a wider attack by Modi on his political critics during his return to SRCC, 13 years after he addressed students at the college as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2013.
Modi contrasted India’s present economic and security situation with that period, saying the country had moved from being counted among the “Fragile Five” economies to becoming the fastest-growing major economy. He also said critics who had viewed India pessimistically in 2013 continued to do so today.
During the address, Modi also revisited his “Dimagi Naxal” jibe, claiming that his use of the expression during his Independence Day speech had prompted people with such a mindset to reveal themselves. He did not name any individual while making the remarks.
AAP’s response added to the political reactions to the Prime Minister’s SRCC address, turning his “Angry Uncles” formulation back on him with the party’s mirror jibe.