# Modi shifts Instagram style to court Gen Z after protests 2026-08-22T00:11:54+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet (2 source reports) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 75, has adopted a more casual style on Instagram after youth protests this year, the BBC reports. His timeline now includes get-ready-with-me reels and selfie-style addresses where he calls young people 'friends'. The shift marks a change for a leader who built a strongman image through scripted speeches and choreographed appearances. The change follows protests led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, which spread through memes and Instagram reels and led to a federal minister resigning. More than 60% of Indians are under 35, and Gen Z is expected to form a large voting bloc by 2029. The BJP has also replaced its social media chief and asked ministers to improve their online presence. Young users have met Modi's new posts with sarcasm, mocking his first selfie-video and calling BJP outreach videos 'cringe'. Ginni Malia, 22, told the BBC the timing of the engagement raises questions, and the videos fail to address protest concerns. Some analysts say the BJP struggled to contain the online narrative during the protests. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The BBC frames Modi's Instagram pivot as a reactive, crisis-driven move following Gen Z protests. It emphasises mockery and scepticism from young users, presenting the outreach as a misfire. The article's tone is observational but leans critical by foregrounding the BJP's failure to control the narrative and the 'cringe' reception. A measured read: the shift is real, Modi's team is experimenting with formats, but the BBC's focus on backlash over strategy inflates the immediate failure. What to watch: whether the BJP refines its Gen Z content before the 2029 general election. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 government-critical - bbc.com (government critical) Foregrounds youth mockery and BJP's failure to contain narrative - bbc.co.uk (government critical) Same critical framing, emphasises scepticism and 'cringe' response This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T05:55:54+00:00. Tags: Amit Malviya, BJP, Dharmendra Pradhan, Instagram, Narendra Modi Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-turns-to-instagram-to-connect-with-indias-gen-z/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-turns-to-instagram-to-connect-with-indias-gen-z/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/