Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ Event Sparks Political Row Over PM Modi Mimicry

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore has triggered a political controversy following a stage performance by stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani. During the September 19 event, Mani mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including references to his public interactions. A video of the performance drew criticism from BJP leaders, who questioned the appropriateness of such a performance at a student-focused programme and Rahul Gandhi’s presence on the stage. Union ministers and BJP leaders, including Kiren Rijiju and Pralhad Joshi, publicly criticised the episode.

The controversy has overshadowed parts of an event that was organised to engage with students and discuss issues concerning education, recruitment and employment. Rahul Gandhi spoke about what he described as problems affecting students, including paper leaks and the functioning of the education system. The BJP, however, has focused its criticism on the stage performance and alleged that remarks during the act were disrespectful to the Prime Minister and his late mother. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan also criticised Gandhi’s response to the performance. The episode has since become a fresh point of political disagreement between the BJP and Congress.