New Delhi: BJP leaders have criticised Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi following a stage performance at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore, where stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani appeared to mimic Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A video from the September 19 event showed Gandhi sharing the stage with Mani during the performance. The act drew criticism from BJP leaders, who said it crossed political and social boundaries.
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan said Gandhi’s participation in the act reflected what he described as an inappropriate political culture. He also linked the controversy to the Congress’s performance in recent student politics.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised the episode, alleging that remarks made during the programme were disrespectful towards women and an elderly person.
Shameful and disgusting! Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have stooped to an absolute nadir of moral bankruptcy. Weaponising a student interaction to mock and insult the late mother of PM Shri @narendramodi ji reveals a shocking lack of basic human empathy and political… https://t.co/hkyliBuYMy
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 19, 2026
Congress Party has become a Party of Comedians & Jokers!
They are out forever…. RIP 🙏 pic.twitter.com/80YaZfqEal
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 20, 2026
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also objected to the language and tone of the performance, calling it inappropriate for political discourse.
The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme is a Congress student outreach initiative focused on issues including education, recruitment and unemployment. The Indore edition was held on September 19 after the party shifted the venue from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to another location.
The controversy has added to the political exchanges between the BJP and Congress surrounding Gandhi’s Indore programme.
