A political controversy has erupted after stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore.
Mani performed a short skit with Gandhi on stage, copying some of Modi’s familiar mannerisms and style of speaking. Gandhi responded during the act, addressing the comedian as “Modi ji”. A reference to PM Modi’s late mother also became a major point of contention.
The BJP sharply criticised the performance, saying the Prime Minister and his late mother had been mocked at a political programme. Several BJP leaders demanded an apology from Gandhi and questioned why he allowed the performance to take place on stage.
Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Pralhad Joshi were among those who criticised the Congress over the incident. Rijiju accused the party of providing a platform for what he described as an insult to Modi and his mother.
The Congress has rejected the BJP’s criticism and defended the act as political mimicry. Party leaders said the controversy was being used to divert attention from the issues discussed at the student-focused programme.
The event itself was centred on concerns raised by students, including education, examinations, recruitment and employment. The mimicry, however, quickly became the main talking point after a video of the performance was shared online by the Congress.
The episode has also drawn reactions from other opposition parties. Some leaders defended the space for political humour and satire, while the BJP maintained that the performance crossed a line by bringing PM Modi’s late mother into the exchange.
The controversy took another turn after Mani announced that his upcoming shows in Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur had been cancelled. He initially cited “unforeseen circumstances” for the Noida cancellation and later said his Lucknow and Kanpur shows were cancelled because of repeated threats from what he called “goon activists”. He did not identify those behind the alleged threats.
The incident has now widened into a debate over political satire, freedom of expression and the limits of humour in public life. The BJP has focused on the reference to PM Modi’s mother and Gandhi’s presence during the performance, while the Congress has maintained that the act was part of political satire.
The clash comes amid an increasingly sharp exchange between the BJP and Congress, with both parties using public events and social media to target each other.
The Indore controversy has also shifted attention from the student campaign that brought Gandhi to the city. The Madhya Pradesh Congress has said it plans to take the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign to districts across the state, focusing on youth concerns and student issues.
With the BJP continuing to demand an apology and the Congress standing by its defence of the performance, the mimicry row has become the latest flashpoint in the political battle between the two parties.
