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Now, ‘Bhay Ho’

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Street singers from Hyderabad have been co-opted by the Bharatiya Janata Party into its election campaign. Using their singing style, the BJP has responded to the Congress’ ‘Jai Ho’ with its own ‘Bhay Ho.’

‘Aaja aaja voter is jhanse ke tale, aaja aaja jhoote moothe vade ke tale … Bhay ho bhook ho.’ (beckoning the voter, the ditty asks him to take shelter under false promises and then says let fear spread, let hunger spread).

‘Ratti ratti sachi hamne jaan ganvai, bhooke pet jaag jaag raat bitayi, mandi ki maar mein naukri ganva di, gin gin vade hamne jindagi bita di, mandi ho, atank ho, mahangai ho, bhay ho, phir bhi jai ho …’ (We lost lives through dark terrible nights, we have kept awake with empty stomachs, the economic slowdown has taken away our jobs, we have spent a lifetime counting false promises, let there be a slowdown, let terrorism flourish, let prices rise, let fear spread, even then we will say, victory is ours …)

‘Little to cheer about’

This dark ditty has been set to the tune of the Slumdog Millionaire’s theme song ‘Jai Ho’ and to spread the message that there is nothing to cheer about. BJP spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh, closely involved in the party’s campaign management, told reporters on Saturday that this ditty would be played at the party’s election rallies.

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