On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 9.02 km-long Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, greatly reducing travel time between Manali and the Lahaul-Spiti valley.
It is believed to be the world’s longest highway tunnel above an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The project is expected to boost tourism in the region and will give the armed forces quicker access to Ladakh.
As part of the inauguration ceremony, Modi walked in the tunnel and took a ride in it in an open-vehicle. But footage that emerged of him waving in the seemingly empty tunnel prompted a burst of humour on social media.
Who exactly was he waving at and why was he doing so, many wanted to know.
Some people love to wave to the vast emptiness in front of them😂😂pic.twitter.com/gkSQCB25QN
— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) October 3, 2020
PM modi waving hand to the die-hard fans!!! pic.twitter.com/fOlEs6oJXm
— Arsh Khurana (@arshkhurana) October 4, 2020
Stop trolling Modi ji for waving in empty tunnel.
— Nirmala Tai (@CrypticMiind) October 4, 2020
He is just trying to create Modi Wave.
Messi shaking Modi waving
— The Bong Next Door (@VotHardVotHard) October 4, 2020
hand with Player hand to the
Better than him Actors Better
than him pic.twitter.com/kdqYd2ucFY
If y'all were wondering what modi is waving at......#justicefordalits pic.twitter.com/iaTWph6d0N
— CONGRESS IT CELL WORKER / ACAB / DLM / (@ambedkar4life) October 4, 2020
What would Modi do if he was a IPL cricket player ?
— ashok (@buddha2019) October 4, 2020
He would wave his hand at empty stadium and drop all the catches😖 pic.twitter.com/80LikPgLDn
Stop criticising Modiji. He was waving in the tunnel to people who will pass through it in the future. What a visionary leader!
— PuNsTeR™ (@Pun_Starr) October 4, 2020
Image description: Modi walking in an empty tunnel waving at his best friend, the camera pic.twitter.com/4zAf9qPkL8
— anna (@annaverbee) October 4, 2020
This is not the first time Modi was caught on camera waving at nobody in particular.
The prime minister once puzzled social media by waving from a boat to no discernible audience in Srinagar’s Dal Lake. This was especially ironic since an intense security lockdown had accompanied Modi’s visit to Kashmir.
This video of PM Narendra Modi has Twitterati guessing - 'who is he waving at?'#NarendraModi #Srinagar #Jammu #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/QG1BC5hbDO
— ABP News (@ABPNews) February 5, 2019
A few months before, in December 2018, Modi’s actions during the inauguration of Assam’s Bogbhee Bridge caused similar bafflement.
Modi Wave exists. It does. Can you see an unusual character waving?! Just that there is no one down there to be waved at. That's the Modi Wave for you. pic.twitter.com/QwR0kbu2iT
— Brijesh Kalappa (@brijeshkalappa) December 26, 2018
Watch
Atal Tunnel, connecting Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti valley, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi
