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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

Uddhav-Raj drop broad hints of tie-up

Mumbai: On a wet Saturday afternoon, the Thackeray kin – Uddhav and Raj – set the Maharashtra politics on fire with clear indications of not merely a tie-up but a long-lasting alliance, rattling the ruling Mahayuti triumvirate of Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party.

 

The cousins, spewing venom till last month, today came down to warmly addressing each other as ‘maananiya’ (honourables), evoking thundering of applause at the NSCI Dome in Worli.

 

Belying speculation, it was Thackeray cousins show as they both occupied the dais against the backdrop of a huge pink outline map of Maharashtra and two giant screens on either side, beaming photos of Uddhav-Raj flanking the late Balasaheb Thackeray, not missing the subtlest expressions or words as the dismayed ruling side leaders spit out blistering barnacles at them…

 

Though the audience comprised activists of Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the families of Uddhav and Raj plus Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi allies’ leaders were present though the Congress failed to depute a senior leader for the much-anticipated event.

 

Others like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Working President Supriya Sule and General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad, PWP’s Jayant Patil, All India Kisan Sabha’s Dr. Ajit Navale, Rashtriya Samaj Party’s Mahadev Jankar, Communist Party of India’s Prakash Reddy, more than compensated the Congress’ token presence.

 

Activists of both parties started for the big day from Friday, arriving in droves from around Maharashtra, some seen singing-dancing, some playing drums, en route, making merry to herald the potential ‘coming together’ of the Thackeray cousins.

 

Fiery Raj, sarcastic Uddhav 

Akin to their respective personality, Raj admittedly put up a fire-brand performance with a double-spicy oratory while Uddhav displayed his usual aggression with sarcastic darts emanating through his speech.

 

After the Thackerays’ homilies were delivered filling up the audience with sufficient food-for-thought before lunch, the other honourables were individually invited to the stage to meet-and-greet the gathering that almost went into raptures.

 

Earlier, both Uddhav-Raj encountered each other, smiled and gave warm hugs, arrived on the stage in spotlights with arms around each other’s shoulders, much like ‘Jay-Veeru’, Uddhav bowed before the gathering, there were many light exchanges between them; and ditto was the scenario with their respective sons, cousins and other beaming relatives.

 

Present were Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi, Aditya and Tejas, Raj Thackeray’s mom Kunda, uncle Bhai Deshmukh and his family, his wife Sharmila, daughter Urvashi, son Amit, brother-in-law Abhay Deshpande, Unmesh Chavan and above all the cousins’ beloved Chandrakant Vaida, revered as Chandu Mama, with many moments of saying ‘cheese’ before cameras.

 

MNS General Secretary Vageesh Saraswat said that the event passed off better than expectations from both sides, plus the presence of the family members of the Thackeray cousins conveyed a powerful message to the leaders and workers from both SS (UBT) and MNS.

 

“We sincerely hope that all this camaraderie doesn’t end up as a mere show for the paparazzi but truly culminates in a meaningful and mutually beneficial tie-up,” an excited Saraswat told ‘The Perfect Voice’.

 

A senior SS (UBT) leader from Pune had similar sentiments on the outcome of today’s grand ‘melava’ which has given a double-booster to the morale of workers from both parties.

 

“Nevertheless, the SS (UBT) must tread carefully as the other side can be mercurial at times, plus consider the advantages/disadvantages of a political tie-up which could benefit them more than us,” said the leader, requesting anonymity.

 


The last time Raj and Uddhav appeared together in public was during the Malvan Assembly by-election campaign in 2005. At that time, the Shiv Sena was still a united entity under the towering presence of Bal Thackeray. The by-poll was necessitated by the resignation of Narayan Rane, a senior Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister, who had quit the party following internal disagreements.

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