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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

Why Are We Demanding Redesigning of TBTT?

Thousands of residents of Mulla Baug area in Thane are united in demanding that the Thane Borivali Twin Tunnel (TBTT) should be extended close to now defunct Uni Abex company towards Ghodbunder Road. In present design, the TBTT ends before Satya Shankar Housing Society causing difficulties to all the nearby residential complexes. The residents huddled in a brain storming session on Saturday with the officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) appraising them of their pragmatic difficulties and the possible dangers they are going to face in the near future.


The residents had to raise their voice since the beginning when the TBTT, the brain child of then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, started taking physical shape in 2024. The residents, mostly office goers, realised that the tunnel’s location was shifted from Tiku Ji Ni Wadi, a private amusement park, to their otherwise peaceful and lush green area to benefit someone. Then came the next shock. A toll plaza was proposed right outside a residential complex Neelkanth greens  blocking movements of the law-abiding tax payer residents. The residents of nearby housing complexes namely Neelkanth Woods, Neelkanth Greens, Cosmos Longue and Satya Shankar Residency would have been directly affected if this toll plaza came outside Neelkanth Greens.


This was the moment when the residents joined hands to raise their voice against the ‘injustice’ in designing and planning of the TBTT. They got the first success when the MMRDA agreed not to erect the toll plaza outside Neelkanth Greens. However, to the residents’ surprise the tunnel and the toll plaza has been shifted just 500 meters ahead to another residential complexes Cosmos Lounge and Satya Shankar Residency.


We, the residents, are demanding that the tunnel and the toll plaza should be moved further 300 meters  close to a defunct company called as Uni Abex, where no residential complex situates. There is an ample of space available for toll plaza which will not harm any housing society and the road will also remain intact.


We are the Project Affected People (PAP). We have formed a representatives committee comprising members from all complexes. We are trying to attract the attention of the MMRDA and the state government to our legitimate demands.


We are going to face a huge difficulty on the front of pollution and vehicular traffic in our peaceful area when the tunneling work begins hopefully after the monsoon. We are going to sacrifice the peace for a project of national importance. That does not mean the authorities should neglect our genuine demands.


There is no traffic police employed in this area causing chaos. Dust suppression system is not activated. Roads are not cleaned of the dust. If the situation is not improved the muddy roads may cause accidents especially for the two wheelers. The Contractor Megha Engineering Pvt. Ltd. (MEPL) has to take extra efforts as this project location is thickly populated.


We understand from the media reports that there is a wide road proposed right through our housing complexes that will connect Mulla Baug to Patlipada near the TBTT’s starting point. This will make this area the busiest junction for the vehicular traffic in Thane.


We are the peace-loving and responsible citizens. The government should not overlook our demands in the election season. Any adverse impact on the residents’ health and life would be detrimental for the prospects of the political parties as well.


(The author is a resident of Mulla Baug, Thane.)

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