Hyderabad: Telangana BJP’s recent video on its X account featuring the popular internet meme character, Pepe the Frog, has stirred up poll buzz.
The video independently created by the BJP’s Telangana unit, marks the first instance of a political party in southern India using Pepe as part of its outreach efforts.
The video showcases the journey of events, leading up to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, with Pepe, a green humanoid caricature, playing the central role by watching several events unfold and touching Lord Ram’s feet in reverence.
Sharing the video on X handle, the Telangana BJP used hashtags such as #RamNavami and #JaiSriram, emphasising the party’s focus on the historic and spiritual significance of the Ayodhya Ram mandir. “A battle of billions of hindus since time immemorial. A story of sacrifice, valor, worship and victory. The saga of Ayodhya Ram Mandir (sic),” the post read.
The use of this caricature was subjected to criticism since it previously appeared in memes and videos associated with the alt-right (symbol of White nationalist supremacy) movement in the United States. However, over some time, it changed colours as netizens used it in various contexts.
Originally created in 2005 by artist Matt Furie for the comic series “Boy’s Club,” the comic depicts Pepe and his anthropomorphic animal companions behaving like newly-graduated college brothers, playing video games and eating junk food.
Later, it gained fame as a meme across many social media and image-sharing platforms, with introduction of several versions of Pepe, such as sad, smug, and furious. However, in the years leading up to the 2016 US Presidential elections, Pepe evolved as a harmless everyday character. Pepe memes exploded in popularity after Donald Trump tweeted an image merging his likeness with the cartoon frog during his campaign.
The character’s appearance in the BJP’s video now has sparked mixed reactions. While some criticised its use due to the meme’s controversial history, others were intrigued by its unexpected appearance in the Ram mandir narrative.
However, Telangana BJP leaders argue that Pepe the Frog has moved beyond its association with White supremacy and has become a more widely accepted internet figure. “We believe its inclusion in the video will help engage younger audiences, particularly on instagram, by bringing attention to the history of the Ram temple,” a BJP leader said.
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