Archive · 20 Sep 2026
BJP-Congress Row Follows Modi Mimicry at Indore Student Event
At a student event in Indore, comedian Pulkit Mani pretended to speak and act like Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He copied Modi’s phrase “my friend” and joked about the prime minister’s way of speaking with foreign leaders.
He also copied a coin trick associated with Modi and made a reference to Modi’s mother.
Rahul Gandhi appeared on stage with Mani and laughed during the performance.
The Congress shared parts of the act online as political satire.
BJP leaders said the performance was insulting and inappropriate, especially because it involved Modi’s late mother.
Congress leader Raashid Alvi said it was only mimicry and that he saw nothing objectionable in the video.
The event had been organized to discuss students’ concerns, but the dispute over the performance overshadowed those issues.
Comedian Pulkit Mani impersonated Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore on Saturday.
The act mocked Modi’s mannerisms, “my friend” phrase, foreign-policy interactions, diplomatic gestures and a coin trick performed with children.
Mani also referred to Modi’s mother, prompting BJP leaders to accuse Congress and Gandhi of disrespecting the late mother of the prime minister.
Congress shared clips of the performance, while leaders including Kiren Rijiju, C. R. Kesavan, Pushkar Singh Dhami and Mohan Yadav condemned it.
The student programme focused on education, recruitment, employment, delayed degrees, reservation and hostel facilities, but the mimicry became the central political dispute.
- Who
- Comedian Pulkit Mani, Rahul Gandhi, the Indian National Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and BJP leaders including C. R. Kesavan, Kiren Rijiju, Pushkar Singh Dhami and Mohan Yadav.
- What
- A comedian impersonated Narendra Modi at a Congress student programme, triggering a political dispute over satire, personal references and acceptable conduct.
- When
- The performance took place on Saturday, September 19, 2026; BJP criticism and Congress responses followed on Sunday.
- Where
- The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- Congress presented the act as humour and political satire, while BJP leaders said it crossed lines of political propriety and disrespected Modi’s late mother.
Congress and Political Satire
BJP and Political Propriety
Meaning of the performance
Congress and Political Satire
Congress promoted the act as humour and satire targeting Modi’s public mannerisms, diplomatic interactions, foreign policy and coin trick.
BJP and Political Propriety
BJP leaders described it as foul-mouthed, third-rate and uncouth conduct that should not have been endorsed at a public event.
Reference to Modi’s mother
Congress and Political Satire
Congress leaders said the performance was mimicry and not an objectionable personal insult; Raashid Alvi questioned whether the audience’s laughter showed that a woman had been insulted.
BJP and Political Propriety
BJP leaders said the line about Modi’s late mother was disrespectful, politically improper and an insult to mothers more broadly, with Mohan Yadav demanding an apology.
Purpose of the student event
Congress and Political Satire
Congress said the programme gave students a platform to discuss education, recruitment, employment and accountability, while Rahul Gandhi criticized a system that discourages questioning young people.
BJP and Political Propriety
BJP leaders argued that a student-focused programme should address policy, opportunities and youth concerns rather than feature personal mockery of the prime minister.
- Event
- Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student interaction programme
- Location
- Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Performer
- Stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani
- Satire targets
- Narendra Modi’s mannerisms, laugh, hand gestures, “my friend” phrase, foreign-policy interactions and coin trick
- Congress response
- Congress and Pawan Khera shared clips of the performance on X; Raashid Alvi described it as mimicry and said he found nothing objectionable.
- BJP response
- BJP leaders called the act uncouth, foul-mouthed or third-rate and criticized the reference to Modi’s late mother.
- Student issues
- Education, recruitment, unemployment, delayed degrees, reservation and hostel facilities
- Related claim
- Mani said his scheduled Noida show was cancelled after the event, but the reports cited no evidence linking the cancellation to his appearance.
Sources
‘Comedians & Jokers’ vs ‘mimicry, nothing else’: Rahul Gandhi’s Indore event erupts into BJP-Congress row
Congress goads, BJP fumes after comic mimics Modi at Rahul’s Chhatron Ki Goonj in Indore
'Foul-Mouthed, Third-Rate Antics': BJP’s CR Kesavan Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Comedian’s Modi Mimicry At Chhatron Ki Goonj Event In Indore
