PM Modi Mimicry at Rahul Gandhi’s Indore Event Sparks Political Row; BJP Criticises Congress

New Delhi: A political controversy has erupted over a mimicry performance at Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore, where comedian Pulkit Mani appeared to imitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mannerisms and style of speaking.

A video of the performance, shared by the Congress on social media, has drawn criticism from BJP leaders, who accused Gandhi and the Congress of allowing personal and disrespectful remarks against the Prime Minister.

The event was held in Indore on September 19, 2026, as part of Gandhi’s student outreach programme. During the performance, Mani mimicked Modi’s interactions with foreign leaders and referenced the Prime Minister’s public appearances and mannerisms.

What Happened During the Mimicry Act?

In the video, Mani appears on stage alongside Rahul Gandhi and imitates Modi’s voice, expressions and conversational style. The performance included references to the Prime Minister’s use of the phrase “my friend” while addressing foreign leaders, as well as other public appearances.

Reports also said the act referred to an earlier incident involving Modi and an elderly woman at a public rally. BJP leaders subsequently objected to the way the incident was portrayed during the performance.

Rahul Gandhi was seen interacting with Mani during the performance, including responding to the mimicry in a light-hearted exchange.

BJP Criticises Rahul Gandhi

The performance triggered criticism from BJP leaders, who questioned Gandhi’s decision to share the stage with the comedian.

BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan accused Gandhi of allowing remarks that, according to him, were disrespectful towards an elderly woman and the Prime Minister. He also criticised Gandhi’s reaction during the performance. These are political allegations made by Kesavan and the BJP, rather than independently established findings.

The BJP’s official social media account also criticised the episode, framing it as a contrast between what it described as respect for an elderly woman and political mockery.

Pralhad Joshi Also Reacts

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also criticised the performance. In a social-media post, Joshi described the episode as shameful and alleged that the programme had been used to make disrespectful remarks about Modi and his late mother.

Joshi argued that political disagreements should focus on policies and public issues rather than personal remarks concerning individuals and their families.

Other BJP leaders also criticised the event and Rahul Gandhi’s participation in the stage exchange.

Congress Event Focused on Student Issues

The controversy comes against the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi’s broader ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student outreach programme.

At the Indore event, Gandhi spoke about issues including education, employment, examination irregularities and the role of students in public life. He also criticised what he described as a political “system” that discourages students from asking questions.

The Indore programme had originally been scheduled for September 12 but was postponed to September 19 after Congress said it was denied permission to use the city’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Political Debate Over the Video

The episode has now become another point of confrontation between the Congress and BJP, with the BJP focusing on the mimicry and the remarks made during the performance, while the broader Congress event centred on student-related issues and criticism of the government’s policies.

The available reports establish that the mimicry took place and that BJP leaders publicly criticised it. However, characterisations of the performance as an “insult” or evidence of a particular political “mindset” are political interpretations made by BJP leaders, rather than neutral descriptions of the event.