Opinion | The 'Jhal Muri' Gambit: How PM Modi's Snack Break Aims To Reset 'Bengali Identity' Narrative

For those reading between the political lines, this wasn't just a snack break – it was a strategic strike on the "bohiragoto" (outsider) narrative by the ruling TMC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brief stop at a roadside stall to eat jhal muri after addressing a political rally in Jhargram quickly turned into one of the most widely shared moments from his West Bengal visit.

On a sweltering Sunday (April 19) in West Bengal’s western district of Jhargram, Prime Minister Modi did something that wasn’t on the official protocol list. After a high-octane political rally, he made an unscripted stop at a humble roadside stall.

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The image of him relishing a paper cone (thonga) of jhal muri has since gone viral but for those reading between the political lines, this wasn’t just a snack break – it was a strategic strike on the “bohiragoto" (outsider) narrative.

CRACKING THE IDENTITY CODE

For years, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee has successfully framed the BJP as a party of the “Hindi heartland", disconnected from........

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