Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a firm believer in the power of acronyms. Over the years, he has constantly expanded the Indian electorate’s dictionary with offerings such as JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhar, Mobile), RSVP (The Gandhis, Rahul Gandhi Sonia, Vadra, Priyanka) and the genre-defying IT + IT + IT (Indian technology plus Indian talent makes India tomorrow), among numerous others.
The latest addition to this list came on Sunday, when the prime minister was speaking in Bengaluru, where he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Parivarthana Rally ahead of the state polls later this year. Reassuring farmers reeling under an agrarian crisis that he was indeed looking out for them, Modi asserted that they were his TOP priority. And by that, he meant: Tomato, Onion, Potato.
The news unsurprisingly attracted a flurry of tweets. Some people decided to fight acronym with acronym, suggesting some alternative short forms that they believed best reflected the government’s politics.
I think someone was on POT. pic.twitter.com/jkfFfP3qVG
— Chirag (@chirag) February 4, 2018
We've hit a LOW - Loss Of Words!https://t.co/vD0uYccSL7
— Venkronym Naidu (@VenkronymNaidu) February 4, 2018
You are a MORON
— SANDIPAN MITRA (@SANDIPANMITRA6) February 4, 2018
Mango
Orange
Radish
Olive
Nutmeg
SAD: Serious Acronym Disorder!!#ModiInBengaluru #Modi #ParivartanaYatre pic.twitter.com/gioCqVi3L3
— Keerthi Yadav (@keerthiyadav94) February 4, 2018
Lemon
— Darthvadoring (@darthvadoring) February 4, 2018
Onion
Okra
Tomato
One user heaved a sigh of relief that the prime minister had not taken the acronym too far.
On the other hand, I guess we should be happy he didn't make them his TOPLESS priority -
— Dr Roshan R (@pythoroshan) February 4, 2018
Tomato, Onion, Potato, Ladies Finger, Eggplant, Spinach and Soybeans.
🤦♂️
The acronym seemed to have cleared the air for some people who used today’s formulations to help parse the prime minister’s previous statements.
Now that we know for Narendra Modi, TOP means Tomato Onion Potato, we can decode his many statements and tweets pic.twitter.com/r855iPiuOb
— Joy (@Joydas) February 4, 2018
Now I understand bhakth who said, Modi is the Top PM in 70 years... I kept arguing with them without realising that we were on the same page! https://t.co/CsZq0zoHuo
— vijayvithal (@jahagirdar_vs) February 4, 2018
Now we know know why Narendra Modi failed to tackle Pakistan Sponsored terrorism, provide employment, prevent Farmers suicide, Stop crime against women, improving economy inspite of keeping these as "TOP Priority" as for him "TOP" means "Tomato, Onion & Potato" Priority.
— Invincible (@i_me_my5elf) February 4, 2018
😉😜😂😂 pic.twitter.com/IZl8qQJefL
The latest acronym, combined with Modi’s recent controversial remark that those who sell pakodas (or fritters) on the streets should be counted among the employed, proved to be a recipe for much humour.
#KarnatakaTrustsModi T- for Terrific O- for Onion P- for Pakora Modi's TOP now available in Karnataka with heavy discount..
— Satish Kapur (@SatishKapur4) February 4, 2018
Mix them well (TOP) with besan so that it can become a good PAKODA.
— Dr. Zahoor Abidi (@AbidiTweetS) February 4, 2018
This will be a perfect time pass snack for you after 2019 gen elections.
In the midst of the jokes, one user seemed to have a heartfelt and serious feedback for the prime minister.
Seriously, these acronym's have become too boring Modi Ji.
— Nipun Dhariwal (@nipunthegr8) February 4, 2018