Political satire, which in the present social media age also assumes the form of memes, is a healthy process of voicing democratic protests against or anger at government actions or inactions. Any attempt to suppress such criticism in a democratic set-up entails great risks and grave consequences. The rise and phenomenal growth of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), floated on social media as a satirical barb on an inappropriate remark by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), testify to this truth. The BJP seems to not have learnt a lesson from it. It has now launched a tirade against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for taking part in a satirical jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by popular standup comedian Pulkit Mani at the Congress’ student interaction event ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Indore 19 September. Rahul was seen laughing during the performance.
In the act, Mani appeared to be mimicking PM Modi’s interactions with foreign leaders and others, imitating his laughter and intonation of the word, “my friend.” It was a hilarious show intended to amuse spectators at the cost of the PM. Mani did not name the Prime Minister in his act. Rahul, however, made the target explicit by asking the comedian, “How are you, Modi ji?”, while hugging him. Another part of the act, where Mani appeared to be mocking the PM for asking for a chair with the words “chair for the mother” at a rally, took the most heat. Similar performances by the comedian have previously gone viral on social media. Soon after the event, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared a clip of the act and said that Rahul Gandhi’s attitude was “extremely shameful” and “irresponsible.” He accused the LoP of insulting “the honour of our country’s culture and mothers.” He did not forget to remind followers of his X handle that “our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an example by placing the honour of mothers above all.”
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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal called Rahul Gandhi’s performance at the programme “cheap political theatre” and branded him as an “uncultured angry uncle” of the students. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju went a step further, regretting a party that had ruled for nearly six decades could degenerate into one of “jokers.” Such responses ring hollow as Congress supporters on social media shared an old clip of PM Modi’s interactions with students from 2019, in which he was apparently seen mocking Rahul Gandhi as a dyslexic person.
While interacting by video conference with a group of students gathered at IIT-Kharagpur, the PM had interrupted a student who was explaining how her project could help dyslexic kids and laughingly asked if it could also help a “40 to 50-year-old child as well.” As the girl said, “Yes, it can,” Modi added, “Then the mother of such children will get very happy.” His comments, which drew laughter from the audience, were seen as potshots at both Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi. As such the BJP leaders’ charge that Rahul Gandhi had shown disrespect to the country’s tradition of honouring mothers becomes untenable. BJP party functionaries were earlier always mocking Rahul Gandhi and calling him ‘Pappu’. Now the same treatment seems to be irking them tono end. At his event in Indore, Gandhi had alleged that a “system” run by a handful of powerful people like PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a few bureaucrats and businesspersons was harming students and the education system. He claimed that the “system” did not want students who raised questions and preferred “Andhbhakts (blind followers)” instead. The matter did not end there. After the event was over, Mani announced on Instagram that an upcoming show of his, scheduled to be held at Noida, Uttar Pradesh, had been cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances.” The BJP seems to have become paranoid since the protests by students and youths galvanized by the CJP which led to the resignation of the then Union Education Minister and a country-wide “social auditing” of schools by CJP activists, exposing the shocking state of educational infrastructure. With the groundswell of anger among students and youths, the Opposition is obviously trying to tap the resentment for electoral gains. The BJP is desperate to take the wind out of the Opposition’s sail which explains the outbursts of its leaders against Rahul Gandhi.
In fact, the MP government led by the BJP tried to desperately restrict students’ participation at Rahul’s programme by citing the Justice JS Verma Commission report on security lapses that had led to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Tamil Nadu in 1991. This was used to justify detailed monitoring of the participants at Rahul Gandhi’s event. The BJP seems to be in an unenviable position. If it ignores satire of the PM or the government at Centre, the criticism may appear justified. If it responds the way it is doing, it will be interpreted as nervousness.
