Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): A political controversy erupted over Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore on Saturday, with BJP leaders accusing him of “insulting” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother during a mimicry performance, while Congress leaders defended the act as humour and said the focus of the event was on students’ issues.
The controversy followed a performance by stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani during the programme, where he mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP leaders alleged that the performance and gestures made references to the Prime Minister’s late mother and were disrespectful.
However, the BJP sharply criticised Gandhi over the mimicry involving Modi’s late mother.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “The program led by the LoP Rahul Gandhi is an initiative he has named ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’. Yet, he resorts to falsehoods and insults; he insults Indian culture and disparages the eminent leaders who gave their absolute best for this country. Look at the way he speaks about the PM’s mother, who is no longer with us. What is the intent behind such insults?”
BJP Punjab in-charge and MP Satish Poonia demanded an apology from Gandhi.
“I believe his remarks often create a negative impression in the country and abroad, particularly when directed at the democratically elected Prime Minister. A mother deserves respect, whoever she may be. Mimicking or making fun of someone’s mother is deeply shameful, and I believe Rahul Gandhi should apologise,” Poonia told ANI.
Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh also criticised Gandhi over the alleged remarks concerning Modi’s late mother.
“This is Rahul ji’s misfortune. If I had been there or if someone had made such a comment about anyone’s mother at my programme, not only Modi ji’s mother, but anyone’s mother, I would have tried to stop it and expressed regret,” Singh told ANI.
He added, “If the mother of this country’s people is being insulted in front of Rahul ji, on his stage, and that too someone who has passed away, then Rahul ji laughing at it is unfortunate. Rahul Gandhi, being the LoP, should understand the importance of respecting mothers in Indian culture and traditions. He does not know the place that a mother holds in Indian culture, history and traditions.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also took a swipe at Gandhi over the mimicry performance.
“I feel this is the only job left for Rahul Gandhi now. If Rahul Gandhi takes up the profession of a stand-up comedian and does mimicry there, he could secure very good employment. As for his political party, he has already rendered it unemployed,” Fadnavis said.
BJP Bihar president Sanjay Saraogi accused Gandhi of displaying “sheer immaturity, political bankruptcy, and the height of indecency”.
“The manner in which Rahul Gandhi insulted the mother of the Prime Minister, including the antics he displayed on stage, reflects sheer immaturity, political bankruptcy, and the height of indecency. Civilised society and the people of this country can never accept such behaviour,” Saraogi said.
Telangana BJP president Ramchander Rao alleged that the Congress had no issues left and was resorting to personal attacks against Modi and his family.
“The Congress party appears to have no issues left and is intellectually bankrupt. Therefore, in the name of Chhatron Ki Goonj, they are abusing, humiliating, and disrespecting the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Rao said.
“If they have real issues, let them fight on those issues. Let them fight on policies. They can’t do it because India is now growing; everyone is appreciating India, and everyone is appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even the youth are aligned with right-wing, nationalist thinking. Therefore, Rahul Gandhi has stooped to such a low level of politics that he is humiliating the mother of our honourable Prime Minister. The BJP strongly condemns such an attitude,” he added.
BJP leader Shazia Ilmi also criticised Gandhi over the programme.
“It is very unfortunate that once again, in a programme like Chhatron Ki Goonj, Rahul Gandhi has mocked and insulted an elderly woman, the Prime Minister’s mother. Many of his workers have even abused her before… I think Rahul Gandhi has once again demonstrated that his political bankruptcy has stooped so low that he is not even sparing an elderly woman, someone’s mother,” Ilmi said.
BJP MP Mukesh Dalal alleged that Gandhi had insulted the mothers of the country.
“Rahul Gandhi has insulted the mothers of the entire country… Rahul Gandhi’s parents haven’t instilled in him good values… If there is anyone who is the biggest joker in the country, it is Rahul Gandhi. And what is he doing in the program, ‘Jhoot ki Goonj’? Is he trying to impart these values to the youth? This is the identity of the Congress party, which will be formed in the coming years… He is deliberately insulting the mothers and women of the country; he enjoys it,” Dalal said.
BJP MP Tarun Chugh also attacked Gandhi over the controversy.
“The student protests in all Indian universities, including DUSU, the ABVP’s victory, and the NSUI’s defeat. This echo is clearly audible. Driven by frustration, disappointment, and a frustrated mindset, Rahul Gandhi is lowering his political standing every day. Repeated defeats have crippled him, and he’s wandering around like a ‘naraz fufa’, making absurd statements without reason. I request Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to have him treated by a good psychiatrist. The kind of babbling and anxiety is evident in his face and words. He should see a good doctor. Insulting a mother is against Indian culture. A mother cannot be a political subject. Mocking her is extremely shameful and condemnable,” Chugh said.
Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra also criticised Gandhi and the Congress over the controversy.
“In the greed of giving the chair to an incompetent person, Congress is bent on destruction, and that is why they are making fun of the chair given to an old mother. The old mother got the chair, but this foolish son will never get the chair,” Mishra said.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, rejected the BJP’s allegations and defended the programme and the mimicry performance.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Jitu Patwari dismissed allegations that Modi’s late mother was insulted during the event.
“People want corruption-free education. They want employment-oriented education, affordable education. Rahul Gandhi has brought those issues to the forefront for the state and the country, which are the pain points of parents today. I believe everything else is secondary. The thought, idea, and vision are positive, aimed at improving the country and filled with patriotism. To even think of creating any kind of negative narrative around this is, in a way, a sin. She wasn’t mocked,” Patwari said.
Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel also hit back at the BJP’s criticism.
“Everyone’s mother is a mother, not PM Modi’s mother alone. Why are their feelings not hurt when they insult Rahul Gandhi’s mother or other leaders’ mothers? This culture of insulting mothers was started by BJP-RSS and Mahamanav,” Baghel said.
Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma accused the BJP of twisting the performance to divert attention from issues concerning education and youth employment.
“This reflects a perverse and despicable mindset—twisting things just to divert attention from issues of public interest. Mimicry and the creation of memes are considered healthy traditions; they are not regarded as crimes. It is simply a way of presenting something so that a wider audience sees it…” Verma said.
“This is just a twist concocted by the BJP because they are rattled. The resonance of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ program across the country is so powerful that they are losing sleep out of anxiety,” he added.
Congress leader Raashid Alvi defended Gandhi’s actions and said the performance was merely mimicry.
“I have seen that video; I do not find anything objectionable in it. If a person is doing mimicry, BJP leaders should have enough wisdom to understand what mimicry means,” Alvi told ANI.
“Rahul Gandhi was only smiling and laughing, but Rahul Gandhi was not laughing alone. The entire crowd was laughing, especially the women who were present there. If a woman is being insulted, will women also laugh?” he added.
“The BJP should remember the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Sonia Gandhi, adding that those remarks amounted to an insult. Insult is what the Prime Minister said about Sonia ji. This is mimicry and nothing else,” Alvi said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP-RSS of “hollowing” and “corrupting” India’s education system and said Gandhi had exposed what he described as the “system that is suppressing students”.
“Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi exposed the system that is suppressing students. Who constitutes this system? The people from the BJP and RSS who have taken control of the entire country— over education, the economy, politics, and every institution. They have hollowed out the education system and corrupted it,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
“This is because the system feels threatened by students; they ask questions and demand accountability. Now that Rahul Gandhi is standing with them, the fear among students has vanished. Their voices are resonating across the entire country,” he added.
Congress MP Imraan Masood said the programme had unsettled BJP leaders.
“Let the elections come. They will find out soon enough. ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ has shattered their eardrums. They see Rahul Gandhi in their dreams and wake up with a start,” Masood said in Ranchi.
Congress leader TS Singh Deo said criticism and mimicry should not be objected to but opposed the use of abusive language in public conversations.
“I do not think it is acceptable to stoop to the level of abusive language in a public conversation. But beyond that, if you’re criticising someone in a normal way, even in a joking manner or with mimicry, no one should have any objection to it,” he said in Raipur.
AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the programme had received an overwhelming response and was focused on youth issues.
“There was an overwhelming response. Across India, across Madhya Pradesh, more than 200,000 youth had reached there just to listen to Rahul Gandhi’s speech for the youth. In all these Chhatron Ki Goonj, he never talks about the Congress party, never asks for votes, but this Chhatron Ki Goonj program, organised in collaboration with the youth, is to highlight the issues faced by the youth of the country,” Mir said in Srinagar.
TMC MP Saugata Roy also defended Gandhi over the mimicry.
“No insult has been made. What Prime Minister Modi said has merely been repeated; this is not an insult to anyone. There should be room for humour in politics…” Roy said.
RLM chief and MP Upendra Kushwaha, however, criticised the Opposition’s approach towards the government.
“An opposition leader is bound to criticise the government, no matter how good a job it does. Although this isn’t right. The opposition should cooperate where the government does good work and offer genuine criticism only where there is an actual error. But today’s opposition isn’t like that. No matter how well the government performs, they only criticise,” Kushwaha said. (ANI)
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