India’s political catchphrases and slogans have a habit of coming back to bite its makers.
No matter how awe-inspiring or witty they are, there is always room for political opponents, satirists and even history to turn them around. From “Garibi Hatao” to “Acche Din Aanewalle Hai”, we look at some of the slogans that stuck, sometimes for reasons far from the original intent.
“Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: Victory to the Soldier, Victory to the Farmer”
In 1965, India was engaged in its most frenetic conflict with Pakistan yet. Against the backdrop of a food grain scarcity, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri coined the slogan to enthuse farmers to produce more grains in the name of the nation.
Both farmer and soldier prevailed, and the slogan held to its name. Its longevity was assured, as both were archetypes of an India that everybody wanted to win.
After India’s 1998 nuclear tests, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appended ‘Jai Vignan’ to the slogan, meaning ‘Victory to Science!’
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