A massive political and digital showdown has erupted on social media after prominent television and film actors publicly called out controversial YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.
The friction began when an international journalist questioned Indian delegates about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s history of not addressing open press conferences, a video clip that quickly went viral across the globe. Reacting to the clip on X (formerly Twitter), Rathee controversially posted, “Modi deserves to be humiliated everywhere he goes,” urging European journalists to embarrass the Indian leader abroad to force accountability.
The statement drew immediate, fierce blowback from the Indian entertainment fraternity on Monday. Television superstar Rupali Ganguly, known for her titular role in the mega-hit show Anupamaa, hit back with a detailed, scathing response on X. Ganguly fiercely defended the Prime Minister’s global standing, highlighting the numerous top civilian honors bestowed upon him by international governments over the years.
Rupali Ganguly’s Direct Rebuke: “It’s funny hearing the word ‘humiliation’ for our Prime Minister, a leader who is continuously being honoured by countries around the world with their top civilian awards,” Ganguly wrote. “More than 1.4 billion Indians are capable enough of deciding what is good for our country. We don’t need a YouTuber sitting abroad, disconnected from India’s ground reality, pretending to be our spokesperson while building his entire online career around mocking, criticising, and fearmongering.”
Gul Panag Outlines the Line Between Healthy Dissent and Insult
Prior to Ganguly’s viral response, acclaimed actor and activist Gul Panag also weighed in on the controversy, taking a more analytical yet firm stance against the YouTuber’s rhetoric. Panag, who has frequently participated in democratic debates and public policy discussions, emphasized that while disagreement and protest are vital pillars of a thriving democracy, attacking the institutional sanctity of the Prime Minister’s office on foreign platforms crosses an ethical line.
“You can dislike a Prime Minister, disagree with a government, protest, debate, and vote differently. That’s democracy,” Panag penned on her social handle. “But reducing the office of India’s Prime Minister—the man, the office, and what he represents abroad—to a joke on foreign soil doesn’t feel like the right thing or dissent to me. It diminishes him, the institution, and ultimately, us.” Her measured perspective quickly trended, with netizens commending her for distinguishing between political opposition and national identity.
The Accountability Debate Ignites Social Media
In his original fiery post, Rathee had defended his remarks by pointing out that Prime Minister Modi has not held a single open, unscripted press conference in over a decade of leadership. Encouraging international media professionals to press the Indian delegation for answers, Rathee argued that creating such public pressure was a necessary service for the long-term progress of transparency and democratic accountability within India.
However, the severe rebukes from prominent pop-culture figures like Ganguly and Panag have shifted the digital narrative, drawing heavy criticism toward Rathee’s operational base in Europe. Critics and political commentators have amplified Ganguly’s sentiment, accusing international commentators of running coordinated smear campaigns while remaining entirely isolated from the domestic growth, infrastructure updates, and electoral mandates driven by the current administration.