A section of Congress leaders has expressed discomfort over a comedian’s mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore, saying the episode shifted attention away from the student-related issues the party wanted to highlight.
The event, held on September 19, was organised around concerns raised by students, including alleged paper leaks, examination irregularities and rising education costs. During the programme, stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani performed a skit with Rahul Gandhi in which he imitated Modi’s mannerisms and style of speaking.
While the Congress publicly defended the performance, at least three party leaders privately questioned whether the act was appropriate. One Congress leader said the episode could have been avoided, arguing that it did not add to the party’s message.
Another senior leader said that with elections approaching, the party should concentrate on issues affecting people and young voters. A third leader said the Congress needed to focus its political criticism on subjects such as governance, inflation, employment and economic concerns rather than allowing the controversy over the mimicry to dominate the discussion.
The episode has triggered a sharp political exchange between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP leaders criticised the performance and alleged that some references made during the act were disrespectful to Modi’s late mother. Union ministers and other BJP leaders demanded that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress address the issue.
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia described the episode as disrespectful and said political discourse should maintain dignity and civility. Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also criticised the Congress, arguing that respect for mothers was an important part of Indian culture.
The BJP's criticism has been directed not only at the comedian but also at Rahul Gandhi, who shared the stage with Mani during the performance. BJP leaders have argued that the event should have remained focused on student concerns rather than political satire.
Congress leaders, however, have rejected the criticism. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge questioned why the BJP was objecting to satire and humour. He also referred to past remarks made by BJP leaders about Congress figures, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
The controversy has continued to grow beyond the original event. Mani later announced the cancellation of shows in Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur. While he described the Noida cancellation as being due to “unforeseen circumstances”, he said the Lucknow and Kanpur shows were cancelled because of what he described as repeated threats. He did not provide further details about the alleged threats.
The dispute has consequently moved beyond the question of the comedian’s performance, with both parties using the episode to argue over political discourse, satire and the tone of public debate.
Within the Congress, however, some leaders remain concerned that the controversy has distracted from the issues that Rahul Gandhi and the party were seeking to raise at the Indore student event.
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