PM Modi the ‘terminator’? BJP yet to delete offensive post

The BJP on Wednesday released a startling ‘poster’ on social media with a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the terminator. Evidently inspired by the Hollywood science fiction action film of the same name from 1984, the poster reads, “Narendra Modi: The Terminator. 2024: I will be back”.

Released just ahead of the INDIA alliance meeting in Mumbai, which begins today, 31 August, the BJP’s official handle put up the poster with a self-congratulatory boast, “Opposition thinks PM Modi can be defeated. Dream on! The Terminator always wins”.

But is it appropriate to describe the prime minister as terminator? In the film, the ‘Terminator’ is a villain, an assassin who is programmed to kill, a cyborg who destroys. The signature line "I'll be back” is what the assassin mouths before destroying a police station and killing them. Ironically, in the sequel titled Terminator 2, the assassin is destroyed.

The poster had received more than 800,000 views by Thursday afternoon, and though it invited ridicule, scathing comments, memes and indignation, the poster has not been taken down, which may indicate that the party believes there is nothing wrong in projecting the prime minister as a violent assassin. It possibly also believes that the poster serves its purpose by projecting the macho, muscular image of Narendra Modi among the party faithful.

The poster, however, drew a large number of withering comments by way of response. A few samples being:

· Didn't the terminator die at the end? Is the BJP calling for end of Modi?

· Seriously? Terminator is an alien killing machine/robot without any emotion. Are you telling the people of India that Modi is a man like the machine ‘Terminator?’ Thank you for openly & frankly telling the truth about Modi.

· BJP is calling the PM a Terminator. Terminator of constitution? Terminator of parliament? Terminator of minorities? Terminator of unity? Terminator of the social fabric of the country?

· He's a cyborg from the future who is gunning for a resistance leader and her child, trying to murder them. Ah. Makes sense. Thanks for the info.

· Terminator of Democracy in Manipur; Terminator of Humanity in Manipur; Terminator of Secularism in Manipur

· Cyborg indeed - a person whose physiological functioning is aided by or dependent upon a mechanical or electronic device… aka the teleprompter?

· Terminator of peace? Of the middle class?

· We needed a prime minister, not an actor from a comic book, video game or a film

· You are likening our beloved prime minister to an emotionless, killing machine who allowed the destruction of the world to save one person?

· Whoever came up with this, will be looking for a job soon

· I request the BJP IT cell not to put such cheap and tasteless posters. This damages the image of BJP and seriousness of a political party and leadership.

· Do you know what the term ‘terminator’ means? If yes, are you acknowledging and acclaiming his role in engineering riots?

But despite an avalanche of critical reactions, true to type, the BJP is yet to pull the poster down. It seems the party does indeed believe that Narendra Modi is the terminator.