Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addresses the ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ event, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Photo credit: X/ AICC via PTI
A political row erupted in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday (September 20, 2026), as BJP leaders slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for featuring the mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by standup comedian Pulkit Mani at a student interaction event in Indore.
Mr. Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, could be seen laughing during the performance by Mr. Mani at his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event. In the act, Mr. Mani appeared to be mimicking Mr. Modi’s interactions with foreign leaders and others. While Mr. Mani did not name the Prime Minister in his act, Mr. Gandhi said, “How are you, Modi ji?”, while hugging him.
Another part of the act, where Mr. Mani appeared to be mocking the Prime Minister for asking for a chair for an elderly woman at a rally, took the most heat. Similar performances by the comedian have previously gone viral on social media.
‘Insulting honour of mothers’
Soon after the event, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav shared a clip of the act and said that Mr. Gandhi’s attitude was “extremely shameful”.
“This irresponsible attitude of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is extremely shameful, condemnable, and unbecoming. By insulting the honour of our country’s culture and mothers, he has encouraged leading the youth’s future in the wrong direction,” Mr. Yadav wrote on X, late on September 19.
“Our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, who had set an exemplary example by placing the honour of mothers above all, is being mocked in this manner, which is an insult to mothers across the country,” he said, seeking an apology from the Congress.
‘Cheap political theatre’
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said the act amounted to “cheap political theatre”.
“Uncultured angry uncle! The irony writes itself. The need to come on stage every now and then just to drag Prime Minister Modi ji’s name into cheap political theatre never fails to amaze me. Look in the mirror, Mr. Rahul Gandhi,” Mr. Goyal said on X.
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai invoked the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) election results to take a dig at Mr. Gandhi’s event, claiming that the ABVP’s victory showed that the youth of the country was with the BJP.
PM’s previous mockery unearthed
While the Congress is yet to officially respond to the BJP’s allegations, sources say that many within the party did not “approve of it”.
However, various Congress supporters on social media shared an old clip of Mr. Modi’s interaction with students from 2019, in which he was apparently seen mocking Mr. Gandhi as a dyslexic person.
While interacting by video conference with a group of students gathered at IIT-Kharagpur, Mr. Modi had interrupted a student who was explaining how her project could help dyslexic kids and laughingly asked if it could also help “40 to 50-year-old child as well”.
As the girl said, “Yes, it can,” Mr. Modi further added, “Then the mother of such children will get very happy.” His comments, which drew laughter from the audience, were seen as potshots at Mr. Gandhi.
At his event in Indore, Mr. Gandhi had alleged that a “system” run by a handful of powerful people like Mr. Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a few bureaucrats and businesspersons had captured the country, harming students and the education system. He claimed that the “system” did not want students who raised questions and preferred “andhbhakts (blind followers)” instead.
Following the controversy, Mr. Mani said in an Instagram story that an upcoming show of his, scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, has been cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances”. Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate, under whose jurisdiction Noida falls, was not available for a comment on Sunday evening, while some other district officials said that they were not aware of the show or any decision regarding it.
Published – September 20, 2026 10:11 pm IST
