Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Global Citizen Festival in Mumbai via a video conference and quoted Bob Dylan’s iconic song in reference to the demonetisation decision.
There is no denying the long wait Indians and those in India had to endure for Coldplay to perform in the country (remember all the ‘Will they? Won’t they’ moments?). Overcoming lot of apprehensions about their performance, the tickets of the show and, of course, some protests, Chris Martin and company finally enthralled audiences in Mumbai and people can’t stop talking about it. Those of us who could not make it to see him sing live will have to make do with reflected enthusiasm and bits and pieces of recorded videos. One such person who couldn’t physically make it to the concert but was virtually present was Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The PM, through a video addressed, the crowd and rest of India, sharing his message for the Global Citizen India Festival. The PM joked and said, “You have been smart in asking me to only address the gathering and not sing, else I’m pretty sure your audience would be asking you for their money back, and that too in Rs 100 notes.”
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His reference to the demonetisation was clear. Throughout his speech he made several indications and also talked about values and ideals of the young generation. “I have had my own set of idols. But you will perhaps be more familiar with Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Chris Martin and A R Rehman,” Modi said.
But the highlight of his speech was when he quoted none other than Nobel laureate Bob Dylan. It was not any other song, he took to Dylan iconic 1964 song, ‘The times they are a-changin’.
“So, to quote from one of Dylan’s transformative anthems which holds as much meaning today as it did when it was first sung in the 1960. ‘Come mothers and fathers, throughout the land, and don’t criticise, what you cannot understand. Your sons and your daughters, are beyond your command. Your old roads rapidly agin’. Please get out of the new one, if you can’t lend your hand, for the times they are a-changin’,” said Modi.
Though there is no denying that Modi’s reference was perfect, however, Netizens didn’t quite warm up to the Prime Minister quoting the iconic singer. People on social media thought Modi-Dylan combination was quite “out-of-place”. Many also criticised him for joking about Rs 100 notes, while many have lost their lives standing in queues.
Here’s what Twitterati had to say:
Bob Dylan when he heard Modi has quoted him pic.twitter.com/iNKDVB0v8f
— Ajay Singh (@ajaxsingh) November 19, 2016
Since @narendramodi ji is such a fan of quoting Bob Dylan lyrics, here’s a Dylan tune specially for him: pic.twitter.com/7jW8iogK7z
— Nehr-who? (@threeinchfooll) November 19, 2016
For my own sanity, I am going to pretend that Modi did not quote Bob Dylan.
— asanyfuleknow (@asanyfuleknow) November 20, 2016
Since Modi ji is quoting Dylan….
“Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?”— SamSays (@samjawed65) November 20, 2016
ROFL! Modi speaks Dylan’s “Times they are a changing” lines.. :D
— Ravi Gupta (@rg_gupta92) November 19, 2016
50 due in queues. And Modi quotes Dylan “the times are a-changing” and jokes with kids about wanting Rs100 back if they hear him sing. Wow
— Shoma Chaudhury (@ShomaChaudhury) November 20, 2016
Modi-man quoting Bob Dylan is truly the definition of trying too hard. Go already, pleaaaase. #HesPrepared #GlobalCitizenIndia #GCIOnVh1
— Pooja Jose (@poojajose) November 19, 2016
Unbelievable. This is what you call spin.
Quoting Bob Dylan to justify government authoritarianism…. https://t.co/FKGxNOwO4E
— Seshadri Kumar (@KumarSeshadri) November 20, 2016
HAHAHAHA THERE IS NO WAY MODI LISTENED TO NORAH JONES, BOB DYLAN AND RICKY MARTIN
— Prateek (@DelhiKaGeezer) November 19, 2016
Bob Dylan and Narendra Modi?
— Nishant Desai (@sharpnish) November 19, 2016
#demonetization : Now this is really insensitive: PM Modi jokes. Poor r dying in queues, Rich r happy tweeting. https://t.co/DBblD5BrtU
— Satyendra (@satyendrashah) November 20, 2016
@IndianExpress #Modi ji, can people criticise if they understand?
— Arun Gupta (@GuptaarunArun) November 19, 2016
#WhereisUrjitPatel the answer my friends is blowing in the wind! Narendra Dylan! #DeMonetisation
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) November 20, 2016
Modi quoting Dylan is Irony’s defining moment #Coldplaymumbai
— P.J. George (@peejaygeorge) November 20, 2016
Also from Dylan:
“Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?” #BlowingInTheWind #DeMonetisation https://t.co/UtPN7Z45Mq— Stereotypewriter (@babumoshoy) November 20, 2016
Give Modi a Nobel for this – Dylan’s Lit Nobel, if naught else :D https://t.co/PIM9CP9Ofo
— Om Puri TarahSePagal (@hamskat) November 19, 2016
Modi just quoted Bob Dylan’s “Times They Are a’Changing”? I think we ought to give that a Nobel Prize for irony.
— Proshant (@MrPositiveCynic) November 19, 2016
@threeinchfooll Does it diminish Bob Dylan in any way when man like Modi quotes him? @gsurya @narendramodi
— H Nagesh Rao (@NageshraoH) November 20, 2016
Modi quotes Dylan. Selectively. I’m hoping someone sings Masters of War when he is audience sometime.
— Soumik Sen (@bangdu) November 20, 2016
Dylan, the times have certainly changed when Modi recites your verse out of context before a Coldplay show. https://t.co/cWH1hVqfdV #awkward
— Paroma Mukherjee (@ParomaMukherjee) November 20, 2016
Narendra Modi iterated “The times they are a-changin'”. Bob Dylan is rolling in his grave and he isn’t even dead yet!
— Himanshu Sharma (@ThisIsHimanshuS) November 19, 2016
What do you think about PM Modi quoting Bob dylan, tell us in comments below.
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