Vulgar, crude circus: BJP tears into Rahul Gandhi over comedian's PM Modi skit

Criticising the skit as 'foul-mouthed antics' performed by 'cheap, vulgar trolls,' BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan said no decent and right-thinking person would find it amusing.

In Short

• The skit was performed by Rahul Gandhi and a stand-up comic
• Union minister Kiren Rijiju calls Congress a party of jokers
• BJP leaders accuse Gandhi of insulting women, PM's late mother

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over a recent stage act in which he and a stand-up comedian mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X: "Congress Party has become a Party of Comedians & Jokers! They are out forever.... RIP," he posted on X.

Describing the skit as "foul-mouthed antics" performed by "cheap, vulgar trolls," BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan said no decent and right-thinking person would find it amusing.

"This uncouth culture endorsed by Rahul Gandhi explains why he has failed to connect or resonate with the youth, as pointed out by his Congress colleague, Mr. Shashi Tharoor," he wrote in a post on X.

He further said, "Rahul Gandhi, who supports such clowns and crude circus shows, lacks both the gravity and gravitas to be taken seriously as a political leader."

Moreover, Kesavan asserted that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha had also insulted "Naari Shakti" by "mocking a frail elderly" woman as part of the skit.

The BJP leader also took a dig at the Congress over the performance of its student wing, the NSUI, in the recently held Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, asserting that the politics promoted by the opposition party had failed to establish any meaningful rapport among younger voters.

"Such politics of bitterness and hate, promoted by Rahul Gandhi, is the precise reason why the Congress was routed and blanked out by our youth in the DUSU elections," Kesavan stated.

The student body polls saw the RSS-affiliated ABVP win three of the four central panel posts of DUSU, while Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen, who was denied an NSUI ticket, won the vice-president's post.

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi also criticised Gandhi and the Congress, claiming the skit was meant to insult PM Modi's mother.

"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 [Narendra Modi] ji reveals a shocking lack of basic human empathy and political culture," he wrote on X.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, too, echoed the sentiment.

"By laughing at the insult to a mother, Rahul Gandhi has laid bare his political upbringing before the entire nation. This prince of the Congress has fallen victim to mental bankruptcy—and this has once again made it clear to the whole country on his own," she said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also joined the BJP's criticism of Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of insulting "Nari Shakti" and questioning his conduct.

Speaking in Greater Noida on Sunday, Yogi said the conduct of the "Congress yuvraj" at what he described as the "Jhooth Ki Goonj" programme was an insult to women.

"The conduct that the Congress yuvraj displayed yesterday in his 'Jhooth Ki Goonj' programme is an insult to the entire Nari Shakti," Yogi said.

He added that "no civilised and decent person" could accept such behaviour.

Yogi also invoked the Sanskrit phrase "Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah", saying those who had not learnt "maryada" and did not understand the sentiment behind it should not expect anything from the country.

He described such people as "pathbhrasht" and alleged that their objective had become creating confusion and disorder in society.

Yogi further accused them of leading efforts that, according to him, could "defame India" and put the country in the dock. He also alleged that such actions could create an identity crisis among India's youth and put the dignity of women at risk.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE CONTROVERSY

The controversial performance took place at Congress's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Indore on Saturday. Stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani appeared on stage with Gandhi and adopted an imitation of PM Modi's speech, mannerisms and public persona.

People later pointed out that a portion of the skit was inspired by an instance where the Prime Minister had asked organisers to arrange a chair for an elderly woman who was attending a BJP rally.

Mani also performed an exaggerated version of PM Modi's familiar conversational style with foreign leaders, while repeatedly using the expression "my friend."

He asked Gandhi, "How are you, my friend?" The parliamentarian responded, "How are you, Modi ji?" Mani then replied, "Great harassment," before breaking into exaggerated laughter.

- Ends