Sona Mohapatra thanks Modi, Shah for keeping Delhi safe amid student protests
Synopsis
Singer Sona Mohapatra sparked a fresh social media storm by publicly thanking PM Modi, Amit Shah, and key Union ministers for preventing Delhi from turning into Paris amid student protests — a post that came directly after an X user challenged her for never questioning the BJP. The episode follows days of abuse she received for criticising Rahul Gandhi over Himachal Pradesh’s governance.
Key Takeaways
Sona Mohapatra posted on X on 25 October thanking PM Modi , Amit Shah , S.
Jaishankar , and Ashwini Vaishnaw for keeping Delhi stable during student protests.
The post was a direct response to an X user who accused her of never questioning the ruling BJP .
Mohapatra had earlier criticised Rahul Gandhi , asking him to fix Himachal Pradesh before talking about repairing democracy.
Gandhi had claimed democracy’s restoration would begin only after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Modi government departed.
Mohapatra said she was shocked by the condition of hills and rivers in Himachal Pradesh after returning after nine years .
The singer faced a wave of abusive comments online following her criticism of Gandhi.
Singer Sona Mohapatra on Sunday, 25 October took to social media platform X to publicly thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw for ensuring that Delhi did not descend into the kind of unrest seen in Paris, France, amid ongoing student protests in India.
What Sona Mohapatra Said
In her post on X, Mohapatra wrote: ‘for reminding me. I’ve been meaning to thank @DrSJaishankar @AshwiniVaishnaw for their sterling work in external affairs & the railways, the work in the NE by @JM_Scindia & of course everyone who ensured Delhi/India doesn’t like Paris/France.’
The post came in direct response to an X user who challenged her, questioning why she reportedly never criticises the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while frequently targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The Trigger: Backlash Over Rahul Gandhi Post
The context traces back to a post Mohapatra made targeting Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about restoring democracy. Gandhi had written: ‘Gyanesh Kumar will go. This government will go. Then the repair of democracy will begin,’ referring to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Modi government.
In response, Mohapatra posted: ‘Dear @RahulGandhi, before repairing democracy, could you start by repairing Himachal Pradesh? I returned after 9 years & was shocked by garbage-strewn hills and choking rivers. Make this Congress-governed state a model of governance. Earn the people’s mandate, don’t just demand it.’
The singer noted she was taken aback by the condition of the hills and rivers in Himachal Pradesh upon returning after nine years.
Abusive Comments and Political Polarisation
Mohapatra’s criticism of Gandhi triggered a wave of abusive comments directed at her online. This is not an isolated pattern — celebrity voices on Indian political issues routinely draw coordinated backlash from opposing camps on social media. Notably, her defence of the government came in the same news cycle as the user’s challenge, suggesting a direct, reactive post rather than an unprompted endorsement.
What This Reflects
The episode highlights the increasingly polarised terrain that public figures navigate when commenting on Indian politics. Mohapatra’s posts, straddling criticism of a state Congress government and praise for the Centre, drew fire from both sides — underscoring the limited space for nuanced political commentary in a social-media-driven discourse. The broader student protest movement and comparisons to unrest in France remain in the backdrop as political tensions continue to simmer.
Point of View
While pointed, was substantive; the subsequent praise for the Centre was conspicuously vague. The episode is a reminder that in India’s binary political ecosystem, any comment on governance — however nuanced — is rapidly co-opted or weaponised by one side, leaving little room for accountability-first voices.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sona Mohapatra thank PM Modi and Amit Shah on X?
Sona Mohapatra thanked PM Modi, Amit Shah, S. Jaishankar, and Ashwini Vaishnaw on X for ensuring Delhi did not see the kind of unrest that occurred in Paris amid student protests. The post came in direct response to an X user challenging her for allegedly never questioning the BJP.
What did Sona Mohapatra say about Rahul Gandhi?
Mohapatra asked Rahul Gandhi to focus on improving the condition of Himachal Pradesh — a Congress-governed state — before talking about repairing democracy. She said she was shocked by garbage-strewn hills and choking rivers when she visited after nine years.
What triggered the backlash against Sona Mohapatra?
The backlash was triggered by her post criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about restoring democracy. Her comments were seen by some supporters of Gandhi as an attack on the opposition, leading to a wave of abusive comments directed at her.
What had Rahul Gandhi said about democracy and the CEC?
Rahul Gandhi had stated that democracy’s restoration would begin after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Modi government departed. It was in response to these remarks that Mohapatra posted her criticism about Himachal Pradesh’s governance.
What is the student protest in Delhi that Sona Mohapatra referred to?
Mohapatra referenced an ongoing student protest in India and praised Union ministers for ensuring that Delhi did not witness the scale of unrest seen in Paris, France. The specific details of the protest were not elaborated in her post.
