Are slogans the missing spice in this poll broth?

As the convoy of Bansuri Swaraj, the BJP candidate for New Delhi seat, was moving from her 5, Tughlaq Lane camp office to Jamnagar House at the India Gate for filing nomination, her supporters were shouting only one slogan ‘New Delhi ki har samasya ka samadhan — Bansuri Swaraj’ (Bansuri Swaraj is the solution to all problems of New Delhi). 

In the politically conscious Delhi-6, Congress party supporters are shouting more or less one slogan — ‘Chandni Chowk ki Pehchan, JP Aggarwal’ (JP Aggarwal is the identity of Chandni Chowk). 

Of course, both these slogans are not making as big an impact as many election time slogans made in the minds of Delhiites in the past. 

Even though the Lok Sabha elections are underway, the atmosphere seems to be lacking the usual vibrancy brought by catchy slogans. We still await the emergence of new and impactful phrases that will define this election. 

Also read: Lok Sabha Polls: Modi, Gandhi address public as political fervour envelops Delhi

Elections without slogans feel incomplete, like a dish missing its key spice. The right slogans can elevate the experience and capture the essence of political climate.

Every election brings forth a fresh wave of slogans, as some older ones fade away with time or become irrelevant. Some slogans are localised, while others resonate across the entire nation. Hopefully, the country would hear some catchy slogans soon that capture the public’s imagination.

Let’s take a look at some iconic slogans from the past: 

‘Jaat par na paat par, Indira ji ki baat par, mohar lagegi haath par’ (Neither caste nor creed, but on Indira ji’s word, the stamp will be on the hand); ‘Abki baari, Atal Bihari’ (This time, it’s Atal Bihari); ‘Congress lao, garibi hatao’ (Bring Congress, remove poverty); ‘India Shining’

‘Abki baar, Modi sarkaar’ (This time, Modi government); ‘Tilak, taraazu aur talwar, inko maro joote chaar’ (Beat the upper caste with shoes).

“These slogans would resonate across the country, capturing the essence of their respective campaigns. Hopefully, we would hear catchy slogans again soon,” says Ajit Dubey, who has been following the political scene of Delhi for the last six decades.

There were also slogans that transcended elections and held national significance, such as ‘Aaram haraam hai’ (Rest is forbidden) by Indira Gandhi in 1966 or ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ (Hail the soldier, hail the farmer) by Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965.

These slogans remain relevant and continue to inspire. Atal Bihari Vajpayee later built upon Shastri’s famous slogan after the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998 with ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan’ (Hail the soldier, hail the farmer, hail science).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also introduced popular slogans like ‘Make in India, Made for the World’ and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with all, development for all).

“Honestly, slogans are the lifeblood of democracy. They create an atmosphere, build connections between voters and political parties, and ignite passion in electoral rallies. Elections feel incomplete without them. There was a time when political parties painted their slogans on walls, but this practice faded due to regulations. The sight of fresh slogans adorning city walls at night used to generate excitement and fuel discussions about the upcoming elections,” says veteran journalist and political observer Bikram Upadhyay.

However, some slogans have been criticised for their harshness and negativity, such as the BSP’s ‘Tilak, taraazu aur talwar, inko maro joote chaar’, which created a toxic environment. The BSP later abandoned this slogan, realising it alienated potential supporters from other social groups.

Looking back at the 1960s, Jan Sangh’s slogan ‘Gau hamari mata hai, desh-dharm ka nata hai’ (The cow is our mother, the bond of nation and religion) fuelled the cow protection movement. 

Their sharp rhetoric, aimed at ousting the Congress government, was countered by the Congress with ‘Deepak bujh gaya tel nahin, sarkaar badalna khel nahin’ (The lamp has gone out but not the oil, changing the government is not a game).

Jan Sangh, the precursor to BJP, also introduced the impactful slogan “Har haath ko kaam, har khet ko paani, har ghar mein deepak, Jan Sangh ki nishani” (Work for every hand, water for every field, a lamp in every home, the symbol of Jan Sangh).

Congress slogans often reflected devotion to their leaders, as seen in the 1971 Lok Sabha election with Indira Gandhi’s ‘Congress lao, garibi hatao’ which resonated deeply with the socialist values prevalent at the time. However, in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections, Jayaprakash Narayan’s counter-slogan ‘Indira hatao, desh bachao’ (Remove Indira, save the country) played a crucial role in Congress’ defeat.

Ad guru Prasoon Joshi emphasises that successful slogans attract voters instead of attacking opponents. Negative slogans rarely leave a lasting impact.

The slogan ‘Jab tak suraj chaand rahega, Indira tera naam rahega’ (As long as the sun and moon exist, your name will remain, Indira) following Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 generated a wave of sympathy and led to a landslide victory for the Congress. 

Similarly, the slogan ‘Rajiv tera yeh balidan, yaad karega Hindustan’ (Rajiv, India will remember your sacrifice) after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991 also influenced the election outcomes.

Post-emergency Era

The general election following the Emergency saw a surge of powerful slogans:

‘San satattar ki lalkaar, Delhi mein Janata sarkaar’ (The call of ’77, Janata Party government in Delhi); ‘Sampoorn kranti ka nara hai, bhavi itihaas hamara hai’ (Total revolution is the slogan, the future history is ours); ‘Faansi ka phanda tootega, George hamara chhootega’ (The noose will break, our George will be released).

Of course, these slogans reflected the impact of the JP movement and the widespread desire for change.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may claim ownership of the ‘common man’ narrative, but the Congress also utilised it in the past with slogans like ‘Congress ka haath – aam aadmi ke saath’ (Congress’ hand with the common man) and ‘Aam aadmi ke badhte kadam, har kadam par Bharat buland’ (The rising steps of the common man, India rises with every step).

The BJP’s slogan ‘Mazboot neta, nirnayak sarkaar’ (Strong leader, decisive government) has also been widely recognised. However, some argue that it bears resemblance to the Congress slogan ‘Kaam karne wali sarkaar’ (A government that works) from the 1980 general elections.

The Legacy of Slogans

Slogans like ‘India Shining’ in 2004, coined by Pramod Mahajan, enjoyed popularity despite scepticism from some. Some slogans even sparked amusement, like Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ‘UP mein dum hai kyunki jurm yahan kam hai’ (UP has strength because crime is less here).

“Slogans offer a glimpse into the ideologies and aspirations of political parties. Some transcend party lines and become widely adopted, such as ‘Saathiyon saath do nara’ (Comrades, give the slogan) often used in universities, and the ever-popular ‘Jo humse takraega choor choor ho jaega’ (whoever clashes with us will be shattered),” concludes Ashish Verma ‘Ashu’, a political activist of Delhi-6.