Satirical ‘My Friend’ Imitation of Narendra Modi Sparks Political Controversy at Congress Event

Kathmandu, 4 Ashoj – On September 19, a student dialogue event titled ‘छात्रों की गुँज’ was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the chief guest. The event aimed to engage with students and youth to address their concerns. Stand-up comedian and satirist Pulkit Mani was present on stage, delivering a mimicry performance that closely copied Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public life, style, and expressions.

Pulkit Mani deliberately replicated Modi’s frequently used English phrase “My friend” when meeting foreign leaders, along with the accompanying hand gestures and body language. His satire sharply targeted Modi’s so-called ‘hug diplomacy,’ humorously critiquing the Prime Minister’s style of foreign interactions and India’s diplomatic approach.

During the performance, Pulkit Mani turned to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked in Modi’s tone, “My friend, how are you?” Rahul replied in a teasing manner, “I am fine, how are you, Modi ji?” This exchange prompted a round of enthusiastic applause and laughter from the audience and youth attendees. The satire also portrayed Modi’s personal and public activities humorously, including a reenactment of the famous incident where Modi placed a coin on a child’s forehead, and included pointed commentary referring to the late Prime Minister’s mother.

The entire act was received as entertaining by Congress’s top leaders and audience members. After the event, the Indian National Congress decided to leverage the satire as a political tool. Their official social media team posted a video clip on their verified X (formerly Twitter) account with captions reading “Narendra Modi Ki Foreign Policy” and “My Friend!! Great Harassment!!” The video quickly went viral, gaining millions of views and shares within hours.

Following the video’s viral spread, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly objected. Central ministers, senior leaders, and spokespersons launched severe attacks on Congress and Rahul Gandhi, condemning the disrespectful remarks made about the Prime Minister and his late mother. They asserted that insulting the Prime Minister’s mother was against Indian culture and decorum. BJP leaders particularly questioned Rahul Gandhi’s role, highlighting how he appeared to laugh rather than protest as the Prime Minister and his late mother were insulted on stage. BJP spokespersons publicly declared, “Congress is no longer a serious political party; it has become a party of comedians and jokers.” They accused Rahul Gandhi of encouraging insults against the Prime Minister and his late mother, calling Congress’s behavior a reflection of low-level politics.

In response, Congress leaders defended the act as mere political satire and mimicry. They emphasized that satirizing political leadership and the Prime Minister is a normal and natural part of democracy. Congress leaders regarded comedian Pulkit Mani’s mimicry at the Indore event as a legitimate form of humor and freedom of expression during a period of BJP objections.

Pulkit Mani also shared a satirical reel on his personal Instagram handle mocking Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy and his “My friend” phrase. The reel gained extraordinary popularity, attracting over 16 million views in a short span and went viral among India’s youth.

Amid escalating influence of the video and increased political tensions, the Indian government took action. Under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act (IT Act), an order was issued to block internet content considered a threat to national security or public order. Following the government’s directive, Meta restricted the reel across India, and users began seeing messages stating “Post not available in India.”

The government’s ban on the viral reel ignited debates on freedom of expression. Well-known Indian YouTuber and socio-political analyst Dhruv Rathi strongly criticized the government’s censorship, calling it harsh intervention on social media. He asserted, “If you praise Modi, it is promoted, but if you attempt to highlight reality through humor and satire, the video is removed.” Rathi accused the government of giving its supporters freedom on digital platforms while using state power to suppress critics.

Following the ban, Rathi downloaded the prohibited video and reposted it on his own social media accounts, urging millions of viewers to widely share it. He said, “We must reach over 30 million people with this reel to show the government the power of the people.” In response to his call, internet users across India began uploading and sharing the reel on various platforms, amplifying the digital protest against the government’s removal attempts.