• Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Row over Modi interacting with kids across barbed wire in poll-bound Karnataka: ‘Seems these children belong to Pakistan’

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi interacts with children in Kalaburagi in the poll-bound southern state of Karnataka on May 2, 2023. (PTI Photo)

By: Shubham Ghosh

Prime minister Narendra Modi is busy making frequent visits to the poll-bound southern Indian state of Karnataka nowadays and on Tuesday (2), he was in Kalaburagi in the state’s northern part. There, he was seen interacting with children ahead of a mega road show but the incident came under criticism, both from the opposition Indian National Congress and common people.

Modi was criticised after a barbed wire was found between him and the children he was talking to. One user on social media even said that it looked like the children were from the neigbouring country of Pakistan who wanted to meet the prime minister.

The user said, “This is called Modi-style interaction! It seems these children belong to #Pakistan, & they wanted to meet the #Indian PM, but the barbed wire stopped these children from coming to see #Modi ji closely. So, they are interacting with Modi ji from the other side of the barbed wire.”

Another user said Modi might be the only leader in the world who does not mingle even with children in his own country.

Kamru Chowdhury, a leader of the Congress, asked why the children were behind the barbed wire and whether India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights took cognizance of the fact.

In the video clip that went viral, Modi can be heard asking the children whether they go to school. He also played with them and urged everyone to study.

He asked them, “Padhayi karoge? Sab padhayi karoge? Acha tum padhke kya banoge? (Will you all study? What do you want to become?” he asked.

To this, one child said, “I want to become police”.

Another said he wants to become a doctor. One said he wants to become the prime minister’s security personnel.

Modi also asked the kids whether they didn’t want to become the prime minister.

Karnataka will go to elections on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13.

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