Demonstrating his love for the spectacle, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Monday planned to become the first national leader to project himself on three-dimensional displays in about 100 locations across the country.
“Mr. Narendra Modi coming to meet you in your city using 3D hologram technology,” screamed banners, claiming it was the first time in the world that a rally would be held simultaneously in so many locations. Modi is known for his elastic relationship with history, but it is unclear why he would choose to ignore the fact that he was the first to use this technology in 2012 during his Gujarat assembly campaign, and with much success too.
Just as in 2012, Monday's event, titled Modi in 3D Hologram, was to have a recorded speech of a holographic full-body projection of the BJP candidate. But a little over an hour before the event was scheduled to begin at 6.30 pm, it was cancelled across the country due to unspecified “technical reasons.” Modi himself tweeted about it only at 7.30 pm.
Quick-minded BJP volunteers at the Kora Kendra ground in Borivali in north Mumbai immediately had posters printed announcing the cancellation of the event and put them up at the gates. A few workers stationed themselves near the posters to turn away straggling groups of supporters that had not yet received news of “Modi in 3D Hologram” being cancelled.
“It is not cancelled,” said a reticent man who did not want to be named. “It is only postponed until April 11.”
“We are sorry you had to come from so far away,” added Kiran More, another BJP worker, apologising to the five or six people lingering near the gate.
If there is a Modi wave in Borivali, it might well be a Gujarati one. Every person waiting at the gate was a Gujarati, as were most of the 20 or 30 others who drifted past and enquired about the cancelled show. They all said that they believed Modi was the right choice for the country, not just for their state. Many of them had come because they felt a personal connection with Modi.
Hasmukh More, a tailor from Nalasopara, a residential area in the far north of Mumbai, had taken the day off for the virtual rally. While he was irritated about not having been informed in advance about the change – “Couldn’t they have put the announcement on TV or radio?” – his admiration for Modi was not diminished by the technical failure. “My village is three hours away from Modiji's,” he said. “He has done so much for development, he has built roads and people have jobs. I am proud to know we are so closely connected.”
“Modi ka hawa zaroor chal raha hai,” said elderly Harsh Patel. “There is definitely a Modi wave. Just give him 60 months and he will do 60-60 things.”
“But what about all the people around him who are bad?” asked a doubting observer from Jamnagar. “They are drinking and stealing…”
“No, that is all Congress lies! Just watch. Give Modi 272 – no, 300! – seats and he will crush them like khakhras.”
The objector shook his head, but did not argue because he had spotted an empty auto.
“My son came back from Australia and he told me that in Gujarat he was able to drive at 120 km per hour, which he was not able to do even in Australia,” continued Harsh Patel, who is from Modi’s village and caste. “That is because of Modi’s development.”
“I normally go to the mandir at this time, but I came here only to see the hologram,” admitted Ramesh Shah, a former schoolteacher and part-time television extra, as Harsh Patel continued his speech. “I am going to vote for Modi anyway. We just didn’t have all this technology when I was young.”
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“Mr. Narendra Modi coming to meet you in your city using 3D hologram technology,” screamed banners, claiming it was the first time in the world that a rally would be held simultaneously in so many locations. Modi is known for his elastic relationship with history, but it is unclear why he would choose to ignore the fact that he was the first to use this technology in 2012 during his Gujarat assembly campaign, and with much success too.
Just as in 2012, Monday's event, titled Modi in 3D Hologram, was to have a recorded speech of a holographic full-body projection of the BJP candidate. But a little over an hour before the event was scheduled to begin at 6.30 pm, it was cancelled across the country due to unspecified “technical reasons.” Modi himself tweeted about it only at 7.30 pm.
Quick-minded BJP volunteers at the Kora Kendra ground in Borivali in north Mumbai immediately had posters printed announcing the cancellation of the event and put them up at the gates. A few workers stationed themselves near the posters to turn away straggling groups of supporters that had not yet received news of “Modi in 3D Hologram” being cancelled.
“It is not cancelled,” said a reticent man who did not want to be named. “It is only postponed until April 11.”
“We are sorry you had to come from so far away,” added Kiran More, another BJP worker, apologising to the five or six people lingering near the gate.
If there is a Modi wave in Borivali, it might well be a Gujarati one. Every person waiting at the gate was a Gujarati, as were most of the 20 or 30 others who drifted past and enquired about the cancelled show. They all said that they believed Modi was the right choice for the country, not just for their state. Many of them had come because they felt a personal connection with Modi.
Hasmukh More, a tailor from Nalasopara, a residential area in the far north of Mumbai, had taken the day off for the virtual rally. While he was irritated about not having been informed in advance about the change – “Couldn’t they have put the announcement on TV or radio?” – his admiration for Modi was not diminished by the technical failure. “My village is three hours away from Modiji's,” he said. “He has done so much for development, he has built roads and people have jobs. I am proud to know we are so closely connected.”
“Modi ka hawa zaroor chal raha hai,” said elderly Harsh Patel. “There is definitely a Modi wave. Just give him 60 months and he will do 60-60 things.”
“But what about all the people around him who are bad?” asked a doubting observer from Jamnagar. “They are drinking and stealing…”
“No, that is all Congress lies! Just watch. Give Modi 272 – no, 300! – seats and he will crush them like khakhras.”
The objector shook his head, but did not argue because he had spotted an empty auto.
“My son came back from Australia and he told me that in Gujarat he was able to drive at 120 km per hour, which he was not able to do even in Australia,” continued Harsh Patel, who is from Modi’s village and caste. “That is because of Modi’s development.”
“I normally go to the mandir at this time, but I came here only to see the hologram,” admitted Ramesh Shah, a former schoolteacher and part-time television extra, as Harsh Patel continued his speech. “I am going to vote for Modi anyway. We just didn’t have all this technology when I was young.”
