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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Modi’s ‘Melody’ diplomacy stuns the world

Overjoyed investors buy shares of a wrong company after the PM’s gift Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gifting his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni 'Melody' toffees, reviving the light-hearted "Melodi" wordplay associated with the two leaders on social media. Meloni thanked Modi and shared a video on the social media in which she could be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee - Melody.” Modi, who was also seen in the video, burst...

Modi’s ‘Melody’ diplomacy stuns the world

Overjoyed investors buy shares of a wrong company after the PM’s gift Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gifting his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni 'Melody' toffees, reviving the light-hearted "Melodi" wordplay associated with the two leaders on social media. Meloni thanked Modi and shared a video on the social media in which she could be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee - Melody.” Modi, who was also seen in the video, burst into laughter as Meloni jokingly referred to the "Melody" toffee while showcasing the gift. The hashtag "Melodi", a blend of Modi and Meloni's names, was coined by the Italian prime minister during the COP28 in Dubai in 2023 and later went viral on social media following the warm interactions between the two leaders at global events. Modi, who arrived in Rome on Tuesday, is on the final leg of his five-nation tour to the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy from May 15-20. Modi’s gift not only floored the social media, but also earned gushing gratitude from the manufacturer of the sweet candy, Parle Products, in Vile Parle, Mumbai. “Thank You. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for taking Parle Melody to the global stage. A proud moment for all of us at Parle Products to see an Indian favourite being shared across borders,” said a social media post from @ParleFamily, a 97-year-old company. Parle Products describes Melody: “Parle Melody brings to you an irresistible layer of caramel on the outside & a delightful chocolate filling inside. Open & pop it in your mouth & relish the unique experience. It won't be too long before you start asking yourself the age-old question "Melody Itni Chocolaty Kyun Hai?”.” Cong Attacks Modi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress leaders also attacked Modi saying he continues his PR even when the economy is suffering. However, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal hit back at Gandhi, accusing him of "hating India" and refusing to tolerate the "global respect" the country has garnered under Modi's leadership. Gandhi, who is on a visit to his constituency Raebareli and Amethi, said on X, "This isn't leadership, it's a gimmick." At a time farmers, labourers, traders and others in the country are all in tears, the prime minister is laughing and making reels while BJP folks are clapping along, the former Congress president said in his post in Hindi. "An economic storm is raging over our heads, and our prime minister is busy handing out candies in Italy!" he said. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge attacked Modi over issues of "rising" prices, unemployment, paper leaks, "dampening" investment and "sinking" Rupee, saying the prime minister continues his PR even as the economy is suffering. Shares turn sweet but the company was mistaken Shares of Parle Industries Ltd saw frenzied buying on Wednesday, surging five per cent to hit the upper circuit limit after Meloni posted the video. Investors wasted no time and flocked to the counter to buy the stock. Shares of the firm jumped to Rs 5.25 - the highest trading permissible limit for the day - on the BSE. On volume terms, 8.57 lakh shares of the firm were traded on the BSE during the day. But, there is a catch! Investors mistook Parle Industries for the maker of Melody toffees. Parle Products, the FMCG major, is the manufacturer of Melody toffees and is not listed on the stock exchanges. Parle Industries Ltd is a diversified commercial services provider, engaged in the business of infrastructure & real estate, and paper, waste paper and allied products. The history of swadeshi toffee is entwined with the country’s Independence and the company, House of Parle was founded in 1928 by Mohanlal Dayal Chauhan, a tailor from Pardi near Valsad, then part of the Bombay Province. As the country was flooded with imported sweets and confectionery, he decided to give it a ‘desi’ touch and flavour, and with a band of 12 workers, he launched the Parle products from a musty old warehouse near Vile Parle east station, when large parts areas of Vile Parle west were still marshes dotted with a few old bungalows and chawls. Later, he visited Germany to master the art of confectionery and returned with machinery worth Rs 60,000 to churn out simple sweets, toffees and locally flavoured Indian confections at affordable prices – willy-nilly challenging the imported British offerings. It was in 1983 that the chocolate Melody toffee. -WITH PTI

HC continues interim protection till April 16

Mumbai: While continuing the interim protection against arrest till April 17 granted by the Madras High Court to standup comedian Kunal Kamra, the Bombay High Court has posted his plea to quash a Mumbai Police FIR against him for further hearing on April 16.

 

A division bench comprising Justice Sarang Kotwal and Justice Shriram Modak also issued notices to the Mumbai Police and ruling MahaYuti ally Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for the FIR against the funnyman over his ‘traitor’ swipe at Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

 

Queried on the interim protection granted by Madras HC, Kamra’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Navroz Seervai told Justice Kotwal and Justice Modak that it was an oral order applicable till April 17, but his client (Kamra) was really concerned about quashing (the FIR).

 

After the judges listened to his arguments  (See… BOX),     they said they would hear the matter on April 16 and asked Additional Public Prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh appearing for the State to get instructions.

 

However, she sought a hearing on April 22, but the judges explained to her that Kamra is protected till April 17 (by Madras HC) and not beyond, so they would hear the matter here on April 16 afternoon.

 

Based on Patel’s complaint with the MIDC Police Station on March 24, the Mumbai Police had lodged a FIR against the comedian under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which was later transferred for probe to the Khar Police Station.

 

Though Kamra had not taken any name in his show, DCM Shinde’s loyalists construed it as lampooning him - as a ‘traitor’ (gaddar) with reference to his rebellion and split from the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022 – and went on a rampage.

 

That day (March 23) the enraged supporters had vandalised the Habitat Studio in Khar where the show was recorded, but later at least 12 persons were nabbed for the violence and enlarged on bail even as Kamra has been claiming getting death threats since then.

 

As the row snowballed, more FIRs were filed against Kamra in Nashik, Jalgaon and Nandgaon, all of which are being probed by the Khar Police Station.

 

Not murder case: Lawyer 

On April 5, the Tamil Nadu-based Kamra, 36, filed a writ petition in Bombay HC seeking to quash the Mumbai Police’ FIR.

 

He cited constitutional grounds of violating his fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 pertaining to freedom of speech and livelihood.

 

His legal team led by Navroz Seervai argued that the satirical remarks in Kamra’s show ‘Naya Bharat’ constitutes protected speech and so should “not be criminalized under defamation of public mischief” charges.

 

He said that Kamra had written thrice to Mumbai Police to record his statements via videoconferencing as he had been getting multiple death threats.

 

“The authorities are not keen to record his statement but they want him to be present here physically. His physical presence must not be insisted upon till the present petition is heard. This is not some murder or a serious offence… It is a comedy show, a video of which is available with them,” pleaded Seervai.

 

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