New Delhi: A new campaign focused on Gen Z has occupied hoardings in Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik. The slogan ‘Nation First’ appears on all banners, which posit Gen Z as standing for not just education but also the armed forces, the Constitution, and respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Many of the posters, in English, Hindi, and Marathi, split the frame into two.
On a banner in Nashik, one side shows a student reading a textbook, with the caption, “I support the students”. On the other, a cutout of PM Modi is shown with the old Parliament building and the caption, “I respect my PM”. The student and PM Modi are placed with their backs against each other.
“I am GenZ. I stand with both,” reads a banner in Nashik.
According to an advertiser in the city, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the order came from a private company. While he couldn’t disclose the name of the firm, he said his company had received 25 orders.
The advertiser speculated that Nashik has about 100 such banners, sourced from several agencies.
‘Sanskari v shararti bache’
The assumption on X is that the campaign is an aspect of the government’s recent efforts to woo Gen Z after the widespread student protests that resulted in the resignation of Dharmendra Padhan as the Union education minister.
People question the narrative being built by the poster, and the messaging behind it. Some call it government advertisement, while others point to the missing BJP ‘logo’ in exasperation.
One user labelled it the “sansakri Gen Z” narrative. “Divide and rule… Sanskari vs Shararti bache,” wrote the handle @dukhi_bana. The poster attached features a family of four, with the text emphasising “sanskar“.
What's up with this "Sanskari Gen Z zindabad" narrative from the govt?
Banners are installed all over cities 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/13ohrQk75k
— Shilpak. (@ugach_kahitarii) August 5, 2026
Yet others challenge the idea of respecting a person in power.
“Dear Gen Z… No, you do not have to respect your PM by default. In fact, you do not have to respect anyone just because they are older than you or hold a position of authority… Judge the person in that position. Watch their actions carefully, and then decide whether they have earned your respect,” said a post Wednesday.
On Instagram, a comment on a post by @lawmemesociety warned against conflating the prime minister with the nation.
“Nation first theek hai… but PM is not the nation… nor is he Bhagwan Ram, neither is he Hindu Rashtra… he is simply a PUBLIC SERVANT,” wrote fluffy_botman.
Overall, the sentiment on the internet is that the campaign is “cringe”, and a waste of taxpayers’ money—irrespective of who placed the order.
“Using tax payers money, etanol income to win over Gen Zs using absurd posters,” said a tweet posted Wednesday.
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