To this and other disasters, Romanians reacted (and still react) with glum jokes: Bucharest became Ceaushwitz, Ceaushima, Paranopolis; the dynasty that ruled them represented socialism in one family. But gallows themselves were less evident than gallows humor.

For the past year, we have at least one suicide every day. After you open a casino, what will the suicide rate be? This is not a joke. It is a social problem. I am against opening the casino.", Goh Meng Seng, reported on 29 April 2006 [http://www.littlespeck.com/content/politics/CTrendsPolitics-060429.htm]

The joke is not on Modi. The joke is on the "educated" elite/middle class supporters of Modi who have made idiocy and ignorance fashionable.

What was the future? The future was a solid wall, not promising, not threatening—all bunk. No guarantees of anything, not even the guarantee that life isn't one big joke.

My way of joking is to tell the truth. That's the funniest joke in the world.