Taunts that define the tone of political discourse in India

NEW DELHI: The dictionary of political taunts and personal attacks in India continues to expand, with new labels, slogans and one-liners entering public exchanges alongside expressions that have been in use for years.

Between 2014 and September 2026, debates that were once centred largely on development, governance, public policy and other issues considered important to the functioning of a democracy have increasingly included slang, taunts, sarcasm and personal attacks between the ruling party and the Opposition.

No one in contemporary Indian politics is entirely free from this style of attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, prominent BJP and Congress leaders, and leaders of other Opposition parties have used mocking epithets, invented phrases, regional idioms and rhetorical jibes against their political rivals.

The use of such language, however, is not exclusive to the period after 2014.Such rhetoric involving sharp personal attacks and provocative expressions has a longer history.

In 2007, Congress president Sonia Gandhi described Narendra Modi as “Maut Ka Saudagar”. The phrase became one of the most widely discussed and contested political attacks of that period.

The expressions used in political exchanges have changed over the years. “Shehzade” and “Khoon ki Dalali” have been followed by formulations such as “Dimagi Naxal” and “Naraz Fufa”. Such phrases have been repeated on television debates, at public rallies and on social media, giving them a wider circulation than in the original political settings in which they were used.

To target Opposition leaders, the BJP-led ruling alliance has used terms including “Andolanjeevi”, “Khan Market Gang”, “Shehzade”, used for Rahul Gandhi, “Tukde-Tukde Gang”, “Urban Naxal” and, more recently, “Dimagi Naxals”. “Naraz Fufa” has also been used for Opposition leaders portrayed as being opposed to the government’s policies and initiatives.

The BJP has also used phrases including “Dhurandhar”, “Jhooth Ki Goonj”, “Sach Ki Hunkar”, “Latkan-Bhatakan”, “Mai-Baap culture” and the political contrast of “Naamdar vs Kaamdar”. Prime Minister Modi recently used all these phrases.

The Congress-led Opposition and other anti-BJP parties have also used slogans, nicknames and political jibes against Modi and his government. These have included “Feku”, “Jumlebaaz”, “Suit-boot ki Sarkar”, “Gabbar Singh Tax”, a sarcastic reference to the Goods and Services Tax, and “Chowkidar Chor Hai”, which directly targeted Modi.

Other expressions used by the Opposition include “Panauti”, “Nafrat Ki Bazaar” and “Mohabbat Ki Dukaan”, as well as “Vote-Chor” and, more recently, “Chhatron Ki Goonj”, following the CJP protests.

“Godi Media” has been used by the Opposition to accuse sections of the media of being overly sympathetic towards the government. More recently, the Opposition has used “Jebkatron Ki Sarkar” in its criticism of the Union Budget and “Jumla-King” to target the Prime Minister. These phrases are repeatedly used at rallies, press conferences, parliamentary debates and media appearances.

Catchy epithets and slogans fly thick and fast

Political epithets, taunts and slogans have become a prominent feature of India’s electoral discourse. Both the ruling party and the Opposition have coined and used catchy and often derogatory expressions against their rivals, particularly during election campaigns, major political controversies and other politically significant occasions.