'Congress has become party of comedians and jokers': Kiren Rijiju on Chhatron Ki Goonj mimicry row

New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday took a swipe at the Congress after a man mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, and the Raebareli MP was seen laughing during the performance.

Rijiju shared the Congress’ post on X featuring the mimicry clip and wrote, “Congress Party has become a Party of Comedians & Jokers! They are out forever… RIP”.

The performance featured mimicry of Prime Minister Modi’s mannerisms and public appearances. The performer imitated PM Modi’s characteristic laugh, hand gestures and the way he greets and embraces people. The act took place during the student-focused event addressed by Rahul Gandhi.

The mimicry artist was Pulkit Mani, an Indian stand-up comedian and social media content creator. The performance quickly became a subject of political commentary, with the BJP targeting the Congress over the stage act and Gandhi’s reaction to it.

Rijiju’s post came amid a broader political exchange over the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme, where Rahul Gandhi spoke about "issues" concerning students, including unemployment and examination irregularities.

Reacting to the incident, Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam questioned the use of mimicry at a programme focused on students and their concerns.

Speaking to IANS, Kadam said, “When will Rahul Gandhi himself reflect on the fact that mimicry can provide entertainment? But if the country has to move forward and we have to talk about the upliftment of students, then it is necessary to discuss policy, hard work and opportunities."

"The way he was presenting his arguments there, travelling across the country and misleading students and youth-once, during the Lok Sabha elections, he created confusion across the country regarding the Constitution,” he added.

Earlier, Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav also criticised Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event and slammed Congress over its handling of student issues, saying that young people have had to struggle to make their voices heard despite the party being in power for decades.

Speaking about the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme and the concerns raised by students, Yadav told IANS, "Across the country, there is no one listening to the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’. When they had the opportunity, they did not listen to the students’ concerns. If students want their voices to be heard, they have to wander from place to place."

"For 60 years, the Congress Party has been in power, and students have faced the most difficulties. You may remember that the student movement began in Bihar, and due to the student movement, the government was completely wiped out from power in Bihar and several other states and across the country," he added.

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