Election 2024: ‘Garibi Hathao’ to ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar,’ 10 slogans that shaped Indian politics
From ‘Garibi Hatao’ in 1971 to ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ in 2024, political parties resort to catchy phrases and one-liners to strike a chord with the voters in election season.
Political slogans have always been integral to Indian elections, both in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. From ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ in 1965 to ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ in 2024, all political parties have resorted to catchy phrases and one-liners to strike a chord with the voters.
The ongoing Lok Sabha election season is no different. Let’s look at the top political slogans that have shaped Indian elections over the past six decades.
1- Abki Baar 400 Paar- 2024
For the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), seeking a record third term, has set a target of winning 400 seats. The target for BJP alone is 370 seats. The ruling alliance is challenged by the opposition parties led by the Congress under the banner of the INDIA bloc.
In the 77-year-long history of Independent India, a party or coalition has won more than 400 seats only once. The Congress, led by Rajiv Gandhi, won 404 of the 514 Lok Sabha seats in the 1984 Lok Sabha Elections. The 1984 Lok Sabha election were held after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi’s mother and former Prime Minister, the late Indira Gandhi.
Whether the BJP-led NDA under PM Modi will break that record will be clear after the results on June 4. The opposition Congress party has unveiled the slogan, “Haath Badlega Haalat (hand will mark the change),” ahead of the 2024 elections. Palm, or hand, is the election symbol of the Congress party.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP campaigned for re-election with the slogan ‘Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’ (Modi government once again). The BJP won the elections, and Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister for the second time.
2- Ache Din Aane Waale Hain - 2014
The BJP campaigned in 2014 against the incumbent Congress-led UPA government with the famous slogan ‘Achhe Din Aane Waale Hain’ (Good days are coming). The slogan worked for the party, and the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre.
3- Congress Ka Haath, Aam Aadmi Ke Saath- 2004
The Congress party won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The party had campaigned with the slogan ‘Congress ka haath, aam admi ke saath’ (Congress party’s hand with the common man). The slogan resonated with the voters who elected the Congress-led UPA government with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister.
In 2009, the Congress party’s slogan was ‘Aam Aadmi ke Badhte Kadam, Har Kadam Par Bharat Buland’ (The Congress rule has seen the progress of the common man and taken India to the top). The slogan worked for the Congress party, and the UPA retained the government at the Centre with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister of the Congress-led UPA government for a second term.
4- India Shining- 2004
The BJP-led NDA under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee contested the 2004 election with a marketing slogan ‘India Shinning.’ The slogan referred to India's overall feeling of economic optimism in 2004. The campaign didn’t work for the NDA, which lost the election. The Congress won the 2004 Lok Sabha election. Former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani once described the campaign as ‘valid’ but ‘inappropriate.’
5- Bari Bari Sabki Bari, Abki Bari Atal Bihari- 1996
The BJP fought the Lok Sabha Election in 1996 with the popular slogan ‘Bari Bari Sabki Bari, Abki Bari Atal Bihari’ (It’s the turn of Atal Bihari Vajpayee now). The slogan led to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-day rule from May 16 to June 1, 1996. Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for two more incomplete terms: from March 19, 1998 to April 29, 1999, and from October 3, 1999 to May 10, 2004.
6- Raja Nahi Faqir Hai, Desh Ki Taqdeer Hai- 1989
In 1989, VP Singh resigned from the Union cabinet as defence minister in the Rajiv Gandhi-led government amid controversies and accusations of commission in defence deals.
The election that followed saw a popular slogan, ‘Raja Nahi Faqir Hai, Desh Ki Taqdeer Hai.’ (He is not a king, he is poor and the nation's destiny). VP Singh, who became the Raja Bahadur of Manda in Allahabad, eventually became Prime Minister of India in 1989.
7- Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Indira Tera Naam Rahega- 1984
After former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination, the Congress fought the 1984 Lok Sabha election on the slogan ‘Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Indira Tera Naam Rahega’ (Indira Gandhi will be remembered till there is the sun and the moon). A sympathy wave ensued in favour of the Congress party, which secured 404 of the 514 Lok Sabha seats.
8- Indira Hatao Desh Bachao- 1977
Coined by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan for the opposition parties post-Emergency, the slogan ‘Indira Hatao Desh Bachao’ (Defeat Indira and Save Country) resulted in opposition parties under the umbrella Janata Party trouncing the Congress party in the 1977 Lok Sabha Elections.
9- Garibi Hatao- 1971
Coined by Indira Gandhi, the slogan ‘Garibi Hathao’ (uproot poverty) resonated with the country and led the Congress Party to a landslide victory in 1971.
10- Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan - 1965
India’s second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ (Hail the farmer, hail the soldier) at a public gathering in Uruwa, Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The idea behind the slogan was to enthuse the soldiers to defend the country and encourage the farmers to do their best to increase the production of food grains and reduce dependence on imports. Congress returned to power in 1967.
In 1998, the-then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee modified the slogan to Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan (Hail the farmer, hail the soldier, hail science) after the Pokhran nuclear tests.
Other slogans
Apart from the above, political parties have used other popular catchphrases that political parties have used.
In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party's 'Vikas ki chabhi, Dimple bhabhi' and ‘Vikas ka pahiya, Akhilesh bhaiyya’ and BSP's 'Betiyon Ko Muskurane Do, Behenji ko aaney do' were famous slogans.
Other catchy slogans included Aam Aadmi Party’s ‘Ache beete 5 saal, lage raho Kejriwal’ in Delhi and TMC’s 'Maa, Maati, Manush' (Mother, motherland and people) in 2011.
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Business NewsPoliticsNewsElection 2024: ‘Garibi Hathao’ to ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar,’ 10 slogans that shaped Indian politics
First Published:23 Apr 2024, 02:41 PM IST
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