# Congress jibe at PM over ‘bhajan clubbing’ triggers BJP riposte

2026-09-26T09:26:55+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined a 'bhajan clubbing' event in Delhi on the 110th birth anniversary of Sangh Parivar ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay. The modern trend sees Gen Z youth gather in concert-style settings to sing and dance to devotional songs without alcohol. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge hit out at Modi on Saturday, saying he has time for such events but not to answer questions about the 'clubbing of democracy through the Election Commission'. The BJP accused Kharge of insulting India's heritage of bhajan and bhakti. The opposition has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after a report that two election commissioners had objected to decisions taken without their knowledge. The EC has said all its orders have full legal sanction.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

NDTV and Rediff reported the event neutrally, focusing on Modi's participation and the cultural trend. Hindustan Times gave equal weight to the political fight, quoting Kharge's attack and the BJP's counter. The critical framing from the Congress side uses the event as a hook to raise EC transparency concerns. The BJP's defence shifts focus to electoral losses under Rahul Gandhi. The core question remains the functioning of the Election Commission, with the Indian Express investigation cited as the trigger for protests.

## Coverage

- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/congress-leader-priyank-kharges-bhajan-clubbing-jibe-at-pm-modi-triggers-bjp-counterattack-12100784#publisher=newsstand>
  Led with Modi's participation and BJP counterattack, no editorialising
- rediff.com (neutral report) <https://www.rediff.com/news/report/modi-joins-gen-z-in-bhajan-clubbing-claps-to-ram-bhajan-in-delhi/20260926.htm>
  Described the event and trend without political commentary
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bhajan-clubbing-narendra-modi-congress-bjp-101790410652924.html>
  Gave equal space to Congress jibe and BJP response with context on EC row

Tags: Bhajan clubbing, BJP, Congress, Deendayal Upadhyay, Narendra Modi
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