'Modi wave' in Valley triggers laughter storm on Twitter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose a Sunday to tour the scenic Dal Lake in Srinagar. But much to the embarrassment of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a video of him waving at the empty lake gave many Twitteratis an occasion to poke fun at the Prime Minister and some to score a political point.

Despite the tight security measures put in place to make sure no civilian comes too close to the Prime Minister, Modi dressed up for the occasion just like any other tourist would. Besides covering himself up in warm clothes from head to toe, the Prime Minister did not even forget his black shades.

And he perhaps posed for the video which went viral on Monday just as he would on any other occasion - waving at enthusiastic crowd, except that there was no crowd that day.

Seeing the video, BJP's former ally and People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti mocked the Prime Minister, saying he was waving at countless imaginary "friends" in Kashmir.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was much less scathing though.

"This camera person has done the Hon PM a huge disservice by not showing all the people furiously waving back because there is no way the PM would be waving at an empty lake," Abdullah tweeted in his response to the video.

Some wondered if the Prime Minister was waving at the migratory birds at the lake. Whatever may be the reason, the video did serve to heat up discussions on Twitter in a wintry day.

--IANS

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