Gurugram: The family members and the teachers of the Indian woman being trolled for her “feeling safe in Japan because of Modi ji” remark after she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Tokyo have said they are proud of her.
The woman, whose comments recorded on video have been widely shared on social media, is Shivangi Batheja from the Fatehabad town of Haryana.
Her father Radhey Shyam Batheja, a permanent resident of the Fatehabad town, told ThePrint Monday it was a proud moment for the family that his daughter met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he blessed her by placing his hand on her head.
Shailen Bhaskar, managing director of the Tagore Model School at Fatehabad, where Shivangi completed her schooling, wrote a post on Facebook, saying daughters always “make us proud”.
“Once again, a Daughter of Fatehabad (Radhey Shyam Batheja’s daughter) Shivangi, now settled in Japan, made us proud and brought smiles on everyone’s faces by greeting our Hon’ble P.M. Modi ji in Japan and making all of us proud,” he wrote. “The moment shared by PMO on the GOI site. A truly special moment to be cherished by the whole ‘Tagore and Scholars family’. We are proud of you that you are an alumnus of this rich Legacy.”
Talking to The Print, Bhaskar said Shivangi was a very good student, and she visits the school whenever she is in India, and meets him and other teachers.
Shivangi’s father Radhey Shyam Batheja, who joined Haryana’s public health engineering department at Fatehabad as a plumber in 1981 and retired as a senior fitter, said his daughter completed her schooling from Fatehabad before moving to Hisar, where she did her Bachelors in Computer Applications (BCA).
He termed the whole controversy around her remarks unwanted, saying whatever his daughter told the media was out of respect for the Prime Minister. The family is proud of her, he said.
When ThePrint called her on her mobile number, Shivangi replied with a text. “Papa just told me, I have been advised to stay away from the media, and I have also been asked not to share my details.”
The trolling
Shivangi was visibly emotional while greeting and saluting Modi at a hotel in Tokyo during his recent visit. Her eyes were moist and she looked overwhelmed on meeting the prime minister. But what began as a touching moment for her soon turned into an online storm of ridicule and criticism as her comments made afterward to the media were shared widely.
“Dur se chalke aate dekha na, aisa laga ke koi humara bada, koi baap-type wahaan se chalke aa rha hai. Mera toh blackout ho gaya (When I saw him coming towards us from a distance, I felt as if someone elder, like a father, was coming towards us. I was completely blacked out),” she told the media later, her voice still choking with emotions.
The lady says, She is staying in Japan for the past 8 years and it's not safe to stay in Japan and they are managing just because of the 'connections' of PM Modi.
If Japan isn't safe, which other country is? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/QLgoeqNMGJ
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 29, 2025
She said she has been living in Japan for the past eight years.
“It feels so good. I can’t say anything. That was a proud moment. He has elevated us to such a great height. We are all staying safe. In Japan, it’s not possible. But because of his connections, we are safe here. That’s why it is possible. Otherwise, I don’t think so. Because Japanese people also… We stay safely in Japan because of him,” she added.
The clip quickly turned viral as it was shared widely on social media platforms. Initially, it attracted commendations from Modi supporters as a reflection of his global influence, but soon the admiration got drowned by a tidal wave of trolling and mocking. Some said her words were not only exaggerated and illogical, but even insulting towards Japan.
Fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, who posts under the handle @zoo_bear, asked, “If Japan is not safe, then what other nation is?” His post, including the video, received more than 1.5 million views, 4,000 reposts and 16,000 likes.
Journalist Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) made a stinging remark, calling it “another Paw Paw moment”—an allusion to exaggerated and misplaced display of love— and implying Japan should deport the woman to “enjoy the security of Modi’s India”.
Her tweet garnered more than 55,000 views, 355 reposts and 1,100 likes, sparking debates about whether the statement taints Japan’s record-low crime rates or reveals blind political partisanship.
Even political parties got into it, calling the encounter a fabricated PR. The Kerala Congress social media pages resonated with such feelings.
“Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. This lady escaped India 8 years ago as soon as Modi came to power here and wants us to believe that she is safe in Japan because of Modi. She doesn’t want to return to Modified India. Script writers need to be changed urgently,” Kerala Congress’s X handle @INCKerala posted.
The post had 1,27,000 views, 99 reposts, and 3.2 likes when this report was filed. The trolling did not end there.
Nimo Yadav 2.0, who uses @DrNimoYadav handle, wrote, “We are living safe in Japan due to connections of Modi ji. Is she talking about Modi or lawrence bishnoi?”
Another user, Taj India @Taj_India007 wrote on X, “Modi controls Japan’s law & order? International Sanskari-Bhakt.”
Anuraga Anamika, @anu_raga_143, quipped, “If her safety in Japan depends on Modi, then maybe Japan’s government should kindly send her back to India.” He also tagged the Japanese Prime Minister’s office for good measure.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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