Jhal muri episode was staged: Mamata on PM’s act in Jhargram
The Statesman | 21 April 2026
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen eating jhal muri (spicy puffed rice), a popular street food of the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the act, alleging that the entire episode was staged.
Speaking at an election rally in Murarai in Birbhum district today in support of TMC candidates, Mamata Banerjee said the Prime Minister often resorts to dramatic gestures during election periods, whether meditating in caves or offering prayers at temples, and has now turned to eating jhal muri from a roadside stall in Jhargram.
She alleged that the jhal muri had been prepared by SPG commandos, who are responsible for the Prime Minister’s security, and that a camera had been installed inside the stall beforehand, raising questions about how the visuals and conversations were recorded.
“I know he resorts to such tactics during elections every time, and this time he is trying to win the hearts of locals by eating jhal muri from a street-side vendor. Does he keep Rs 10 notes in his pocket? Yet we saw him paying Rs 10 to the vendor after taking the jhal muri,” the Chief Minister said.
The Swapan Lal jhal muri stall at Raj College More in Jhargram has already drawn national attention following the Prime Minister’s visit. Its owner, Bikram Shaw, who hails from Bihar, said that Narendra Modi was polite, spoke with him for several minutes, and enquired about his family, his years in the trade and how business was faring.
“I am really overwhelmed by the Prime Minister’s gesture when he paid me Rs 10 after eating the jhal muri,” Bikram Shaw told media persons today.