Ranvir Shorey slams PM Narendra Modi's mimicry at Rahul Gandhi's event

On September 19, stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani performed a mimicry act imitating Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore. Gandhi was on stage during the act and was seen laughing at one point. The reference to Modi’s “Maa ko kursi do” remark sparked criticism from many, including actor Ranvir Shorey.Shorey took a dig at Mani and the Congress, writing, “मां को कुर्सी दो का मजाक उड़ा रहे हैं जिनकी पूरी पार्टी का अस्तित्व ‘बेटे को कुर्सी’ दिलाना है। (They are mocking ‘Give the mother a chair’ when their entire party exists to get the ‘son a chair’).”The video of the performance has since gone viral on social media, triggering a political row. BJP leaders, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and newly appointed Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, also criticised Gandhi over the incident.Joshi wrote on X, “Shameful and disgusting! Rahul Gandhi and

Congress party

have crossed all limits of moral degradation. Using an interaction programme with students to mock and insult the late mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji shows a lack of basic human sensitivity and political culture.”Amid the backlash, Congress leader Rashid Alvi defended Gandhi and Mani, saying the performance was merely a mimicry act and was not intended to insult anyone.

Alvi said he had watched the video and did not find anything objectionable in it. He also pointed out that Gandhi was simply laughing along with the audience, including the women present at the event.Meanwhile, folk singer Neha Singh Rathore also reacted to the controversy and questioned the criticism surrounding the reference to Modi’s mother. Sharing a screenshot of a report on X, she wrote, “If the PM was mocked, how did it become an insult to his mother? Is there any logic? How much respect he has shown to other people's mothers is not hidden from anyone. ‘Didi O Didi…fifty crore girlfriend…Congress widow…’ What was all this?”The controversy has also had an impact on Pulkit Mani’s comedy shows. The comedian announced that his shows in Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur had been cancelled following the backlash. He later claimed that the Lucknow and Kanpur shows were cancelled due to “repeated threats from goon activists”.