BJP attacks Rahul Gandhi over PM Narendra Modi mimicry at Indore student event

A political row has erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party after a comedian mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Indore, with the BJP alleging that the act mocked Modi's interaction with an elderly woman.

The controversy followed a video from the September 19 event that was shared by both the BJP and Congress. Gandhi is seen laughing on stage while stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani performs an act referring to Modi's mannerisms, foreign-policy interactions and his mother.

The BJP criticised Gandhi and alleged that he had endorsed the mockery by laughing during the performance.

BJP leaders condemn the stage act

The BJP's national account on X said Modi had shown "respect and affection" towards an elderly woman, while Gandhi had mocked her at his event.

"On one side, PM Modi gave respect and affection to an elderly mother, while on the other side, Rahul Gandhi mocked her at his event. This is the very difference between politics of values and politics of showmanship," the BJP said.

Several BJP leaders, including Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and newly appointed education minister Prahlad Joshi, also criticised Gandhi.

Joshi wrote on X that Gandhi and the Congress had reached an "absolute nadir of moral bankruptcy", alleging that the interaction had been used to mock and insult the late mother of the prime minister.

Dhami said a mother should not be made a subject of politics and alleged that laughing at remarks about Modi's late mother reflected on the political culture of those involved.

BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan also criticised Gandhi for sharing the stage with people who, he alleged, insulted women and an elderly person. He described the episode as reflecting an "uncouth culture" and "regressive politics".

What happened during Pulkit Mani's act

The controversy centres on a short performance by stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani at Gandhi's student-focused event.

Mani mimicked Modi's mannerisms and style of speaking, including the prime minister's interactions with foreign leaders. The act repeatedly used the phrase "my friend", imitating Modi's public interactions.

At one point, Mani said, "My friend, how are you?" Gandhi responded, "I'm fine, how are you, Modi ji?"

The performance also referred to Modi's foreign policy, his mother and a coin trick the prime minister had performed with children.

Mani additionally referred to the Galgotias controversy during the AI Summit earlier this week before moving to the remarks about Modi's mother.

The BJP subsequently focused on the mother-related portion of the performance in its criticism of Gandhi.

Congress event focused on students

The 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme was organised as part of Gandhi's student outreach campaign. The Indore event was the latest edition of the initiative, which has focused on education, employment and students' concerns. Gandhi used the programme to speak about what he described as a system that was failing to address the concerns of young people.

The event had originally been scheduled for September 12 but was postponed to September 19 after the Congress said it was denied permission to use Indore's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The party subsequently shifted the programme to another venue.

The BJP's criticism of the stage act has now added another political dispute to Gandhi's student outreach programme, with the two parties offering sharply different interpretations of the performance.