'Mother not a subject of politics': BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over PM Modi's mimicry at Indore event

The latest edition of the 'Chhatron ki Goonj' event addressed by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in Indore on Saturday has sparked off a row.

Gandhi shared the stage with stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani and took a dig at the Prime Minister when the latter mimicked Narendra Modi's interaction with an elderly woman.

'System has captured entire country, which doesn't want students to raise questions': Rahul Gandhi

In the videos shared by both the BJP and the Congress, comedian Pulkit is seen imitating Modi's style of speaking with foreign leaders. His act also referred to the Prime Minister's foreign policies and the incident at a rally where Modi paused his speech and sought a chair be offered to an elderly woman in the crowd. Gandhi was seen laughing after Pulkit referred to the incident.

एक तरफ़ पीएम मोदी ने एक बुज़ुर्ग माँ को सम्मान और अपनापन दिया, दूसरी तरफ़ राहुल गांधी ने अपने कार्यक्रम में उनका मज़ाक उड़ाया।

यही फर्क है संस्कार और दिखावे की राजनीति में। जिस उम्र में सम्मान मिलना चाहिए, वहाँ राहुल गांधी का यह शर्मनाक रवैया उनकी सोच के बारे में क्या कहता है?… pic.twitter.com/wLMXVReASY

— BJP (@BJP4India) September 19, 2026

"On one side, PM Modi gave respect and affection to an elderly mother, while on the other side, Rahul Gandhi mocked her at his event," BJP wrote in a post on X.

BJP national spokesperson C R Kesavan alleged that Gandhi insulted "Naari Shakti by mocking a frail elderly Mataji as a setting.”

Rahul Gandhi shared the stage yesterday with cheap, vulgar trolls who insulted our Naari Shakti by mocking a frail elderly Mataji as a “setting.” No decent, right-thinking person would find such foul-mouthed antics amusing. But Rahul Gandhi was seen laughing out loud on the… pic.twitter.com/YCL0Sw4ZBW

— C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) September 20, 2026

"No decent, right-thinking person would have found these foul-mouthed, third-rate antics amusing but Rahul Gandhi was seen laughing aloud on the stage he was sharing with them. Such uncouth culture endorsed by Rahul Gandhi is the reason why he and the Congress have failed to resonate with the youth," Kesavan said.

He also said that even Congress' Shashi Tharoor has admitted the party's failure on this front.

"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," referring to the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election.

Following his remarks, several other BJP leaders also slammed Gandhi.

"Don't you feel even the slightest shame in mocking the elderly mother and the Prime Minister of India?" said Kiren Rijiju in a social media post.

क्या आपको बुज़ुर्ग माताजी और भारत के प्रधानमंत्री का मज़ाक उड़ाते हुए ज़रा भी शर्म नहीं आती? https://t.co/EtRy6YzJyG pic.twitter.com/CDLPz4OQ9M

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 20, 2026

Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi also posted on X, describing the remark as "shameful and disgusting".

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 @narendramodi ji reveals a shocking lack of basic human empathy and political… https://t.co/hkyliBuYMy

— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 19, 2026

"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 added.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were among the other leaders who criticised Gandhi, and said, "A mother is not a subject of politics. The insult to a mother cannot be acceptable in any civilised society."

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी की स्वर्गीय माताजी के लिए आपत्तिजनक शब्द कहे जाएं और उस पर राहुल गांधी हंसें—यह दृश्य बेहद शर्मनाक और पीड़ादायक है।

मां राजनीति का विषय नहीं होती। मां का अपमान किसी भी सभ्य समाज में स्वीकार्य नहीं हो सकता।

राजनीतिक विरोध कीजिए, लेकिन… pic.twitter.com/EYbIquTwhy

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 19, 2026

"It is extremely shameful and painful to see objectionable words spoken about the late mother of the honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, and Rahul Gandhi laughing at it," he wrote in a post on X.

"Rahul Gandhi ji, crossing all limits of propriety in political opposition is neither democracy, nor service, nor culture. The mother power of the country is watching everything. Such insensitivity and mockery are unacceptable at any cost," he added.