Social Buzz: PM’s kind gesture towards disabled women at poll rally, Bollywood stars vote in Mumbai; more

We take a look at what got social media buzzing today.

Screengrab from Congress' video hitting out at the BJP, Union Minister Anurag Thakur's clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and shot of Amitabh Bachchan exiting his polling station. (Source:X/@INCIndia/@ianuragthakur/PTI)

As tensions rose high during Phase 5 of Lok Sabha polling, the political scene on social media on Monday exploded with satiric hit backs, sentimental praise, and a whole lot of glamour as celebrities came out to vote in Mumbai.

From Congress’ new video attacking the BJP government over India’s pressing unemployment issues to King Khan, Big B, and more queuing up at the polling booths, X (formerly Twitter) saw a slew of posts make it to the top of our list. Union Minister Anurag Thakur, additionally, added a dose of emotion to the platform with a clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support towards disabled women.

We take a look at what got social media buzzing today.

‘Matlab Naukri Pakki?’: Congress targets BJP over unemployment

Sharing from their official X handle, Congress on Monday posted a clip which takes up India’s burning unemployment issue head on. Featuring two characters, one of whom eerily resembles Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah, the over 30 second video uses astrology and palm-reading to showcase how desperate Indian youth are looking to solve their unemployment issues.

In the video, a young man gets his palm read by the Shah look-alike, asking for positive predictions of employment. However, when the palm-reader says “Accha bohut accha,” the youth misinterprets it and exclaims, “Matlab naukri pakki?” To his dismay though, the astrologer says, “Naukri ka toh koi chance hi nai hai!” The youth, in his further desperation, enquires about chances of a success through a business or startup, to which the Shah doppleganger yet again disappoints him. The astrologer says, “Dhande toh saare bandh hai, dukaano mein taaley lag rahe hai.” The worried youth, ultimately decides to vote for “rozgar dene wale ko,” that is, the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The video, captioned “Choose change, not unemployment, choose Congress,” also repeatedly features the popular BJP slogan “Acche din ayenge” by making the astrologer repeatedly say “Accha, bohut accha” and “Sab theek hai” despite the evident worries in the young man’s life.

बेरोजगारी नहीं, परिवर्तन चुनिए
कांग्रेस चुनिए ✋ pic.twitter.com/cns1YYCD0e

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 20, 2024

Modi’s kind gesture towards disabled at poll rally

Meanwhile, the BJP also took to X to share a clip of their own that got supporters sentimental and all up in wonder at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actions. The clip, shared by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, shows the prime minister rallying for disabled women at an election campaign. In the 48-second clip, PM Modi pauses while speaking at a rally and encourages the audience to help two disabled women among them to come to the forefront of the crowd. “Un Divyang beheno ko aage aane dijiye..woh jo Divyang behene hai, unko taqleef ho rahi hai..main tab tak aage bhashan nahi karunga jab tak inn beheno ki vivasta nahi hoti hai,” he was heard saying during the campaign. He further requested the women to be given chairs and made comfortable at the rally.

Sharing the clip, Union Minister Anurag Thakur wrote “A unique example of sentimentality and sensitivity.” However, comments on the post remained divided. While some lauded the prime minister’s actions, others were not exactly swayed by it.

भावुकता, संवेदनशीलता का अनुपम उदाहरण… pic.twitter.com/7JA4VDtgG5

— Anurag Thakur (मोदी का परिवार) (@ianuragthakur) May 20, 2024

X flooded with visuals of celebrities at voting booths in Mumbai

As Mumbai went to polls on Monday in the fifth phase, all the big names of Bollywood – from Shah Rukh Khan to Amitabh Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor- showed up at the booths with their families. X blew up with clips of the stars as they spoke to the reporters.

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Shah Rukh Khan, wife Gauri Khan, and their daughter Suhana Khan were seen together at a Mumbai polling booth as they reached to exercise their franchise.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Actor Shah Rukh Khan casts vote in Mumbai, along with his wife Gauri Khan and daughter Suhana Khan.#LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/dv5TRARJn4) pic.twitter.com/pG1R4uN4co

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 20, 2024

Amitabh Bachchan also went to cast his vote with his wife Jaya Bacchhan at a polling booth in Juhu.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Actor Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) and his wife Jaya Bachchan cast their votes at a polling booth in Juhu, Mumbai. #LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/dv5TRARJn4) pic.twitter.com/7c8NmGwp6s

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 20, 2024

Rabir Kapoor, however, stood alone at the queue at his assigned polling booth in Mumbai.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: Actor Ranbir Kapoor arrives at a polling centre in Mumbai to cast his vote for the fifth phase of #LokSabhaElections2024📷 pic.twitter.com/CRfxKEiVjS

— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024

Additionally, actor Amir Khan and his former wife director Kiran Rao also went together to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in Mumbai. The actor, after casting his vote, spoke to reporters and said, “I want to appeal to all the Indians to come out and cast vote and be part of the big democracy. Everyone should vote.”

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Here’s what actor Aamir Khan said after casting his vote, along with ex-wife Kiran Rao at a polling booth in Mumbai.

“I want to appeal to all the Indians to come out and cast vote and be part of the big democracy. Everyone should vote.” pic.twitter.com/ehU8N2zCL0

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 20, 2024