Usually, we connect comic books and graphic novels to entertainment, fun and children. But in 2024 election season, author Shantanu Gupta has attempted first of its kind comic book doing some serious political and policy commentary using the medium of graphic novels. The book is titled – “101 reasons, Why I Will Vote for Modi”
Book starts with a discussion between a professional Modi Critique and a Modi Supporter. The anti-Modi journalist asked for a strong reason to vote for PM Modi in 2024 and then the Modi Supporter takes him to the villages, streets, lanes and sub lanes of India. At the grassroots they meet Ramavati who shows her permanent house, Shazia shows her new toilet, Rama shows her gas stove, Suresh shows tapped water and dadi maa shows the account pass book in which her pension now comes every month. Children were found studying under light, and roads were found galloping.
When the journalist went to the fields, farmers talked about PM-Kisan and the military brothers praised OROP. Everyone showed their Aadhaar card, Jan Dhan account, Ayushman card, soil health card, Kisan Credit card with great confidence and pride and said that now if one rupee starts from Delhi, then the whole one reaches their bank accounts.
When the journalists asked the youth, they said that now there are 23 IITs, 21 IIMs and 22 AIIMS. Economy and jobs both are on the up. And if one want to run their own business, then now we have Mudra Loans. India was in fragile five in 2014 and today in 2024 we are among the top 5 countries.
People also told the two journalists with great pride that in 2024, India’s highways, airports and ship-ports are no less than that of America or London. Not only on land, water and air, today’s Bharat is reaching the sun and the moon.
When they reached Ayodhya and Kashi, people were overwhelmed with emotions and thanked PM Modi for their long kept dream to see Ram lalla in the grand temple.
And one by one people gave not one but 101 reasons why they would vote for Modi in 2024. And in the end, our anti-Modi journalist also admitted that opposing Modi is his profession and his livelihood is dependent on it.
I especially liked these 4 elements of this book – first the graphic narration of 10 years of PM Modi’s work, second the usage of ten different art styles in the book, third the lovely poetic couplets at the end of each of the 101 cases and last the powerful endorsements by the likes of Bibek Debroy and Mohandas Pai.
This book will certainly set a new trend towards the usage of comic books and graphic novels for political commentary in India.
The 101st case of the book, perfectly ends with the couplet:
Modi’s popularity on the roads only seems to sway,
It appears this time he will surpass 400, they say.
I strongly recommend this book to students of politics, political analysts and also to the comic book community.