Melbourne Meets Modi organisers rebut 'paid crowd' claims, demand apology from Rahul, Kharge
Synopsis
The organisers of Melbourne's 30,000-strong Modi reception have gone on the offensive — writing an open letter that calls Congress's 'paid crowd' allegations 'entirely false' and demands a public apology from Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. The row puts the Indian diaspora's political independence at the centre of a domestic India dispute being fought on Australian soil.
Key Takeaways
Organisers of the Melbourne Meets Modi event wrote an open letter on 14 July rejecting 'paid crowd' allegations by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge .
More than 30,000 Indian-Australians attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne on July 9 — one of the largest gatherings for any world leader in Australia.
The community travel initiative 'Modi Airways' was described by organisers as entirely volunteer-driven, with participants bearing their own expenses.
Attendees travelled from Sydney , Adelaide , Perth , Brisbane , and other Australian cities; organisers say no BJP or government funds were involved.
The letter demands a public retraction of the 'paid crowd' claim and an unconditional apology to the Indian-Australian community.
The organisers of the Melbourne Meets Modi event have written an open letter to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Indian National Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, firmly rejecting allegations that the 30,000-plus Indian-Australians who attended the July 9 reception at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne constituted a 'paid crowd' financed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Government of India. The organisers have demanded a public retraction and an unconditional apology to the Indian-Australian community.
What the Allegations Said
Congress office-bearers and individuals associated with the party alleged on social media that attendees — including those who flew in from Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane — were transported and funded by the BJP or the Indian government. The claims specifically targeted a community travel initiative called 'Modi Airways', which coordinated domestic flights for participants travelling from other Australian cities to Melbourne for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian diaspora.
Organisers' Rebuttal
In their open letter, the organisers described the allegations as 'entirely false, deeply disrespectful, and profoundly insulting.' They stated that Modi Airways was a volunteer-driven effort, and that participants — comprising professionals, families, students, and senior citizens — either paid their own travel expenses or were supported through community-organised arrangements with no political funding involved.
The letter read: 'No government or political party financed their attendance. Those who made the journey did so voluntarily. They took leave from work, rearranged family commitments, travelled long distances, and invested their own time and resources because they wished to be part of a significant community event.'
A Diverse Crowd With Varied Motivations
The organisers were careful to note that the 30,000-strong turnout — described as one of the largest gatherings for any world leader in Australia — drew attendees for a range of reasons. Some came to express admiration for Prime Minister Modi, others to witness what they termed a historic diplomatic visit, and many simply to celebrate the friendship between Australia and India. The organisers argued that such a diversity of motivation is a hallmark of democratic participation, not manufactured political theatre.
They added: 'The passengers represented the diversity of the Indian-Australian community... To dismiss them as a rented or manufactured political crowd is not merely criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a direct insult to the intelligence, independence, and dignity of thousands of Indian-Australians.'
What the Organisers Are Demanding
The letter urged the Congress leadership to publicly acknowledge that no evidence exists that Modi Airways was financed by the BJP or the Government of India, withdraw the 'paid crowd' allegation, and offer an apology to organisers, volunteers, passengers, and the broader Indian-Australian community. The organisers clarified that such an apology would not require the Congress to change its political stance on Prime Minister Modi — only to recognise the independent agency of diaspora members.
Addressing Gandhi and Kharge directly, the letter stated: 'You are fully entitled to oppose Prime Minister Modi, criticise the BJP, and challenge the policies of the Government of India. However, it is neither fair nor appropriate to dismiss the independent choices of thousands of ordinary people simply because their enthusiasm does not align with a particular political narrative.'
Broader Context and What Comes Next
The controversy follows Prime Minister Modi's visit to Australia, during which the Marvel Stadium event on July 9 drew significant attention for its scale. The organisers also invited Congress representatives to engage directly with community leaders before making similar allegations in the future, saying they would have willingly explained the registration process and the volunteer logistics involved. The letter concluded with a call for the Indian diaspora not to become 'collateral damage in India's domestic political debates.' Whether the Congress leadership responds — and in what form — is likely to shape the next phase of this political exchange.
Point of View
And the organisers' detailed rebuttal — naming cities, volunteer structures, and individual categories of attendees — shifts the burden squarely onto Congress to produce proof or retract. What the episode really exposes is the risk of projecting India's domestic BJP-Congress binary onto a diaspora community that is politically diverse and fiercely protective of its autonomy. For Congress, doubling down without evidence risks alienating precisely the kind of globally mobile, professionally successful Indians whose goodwill the party needs. The demand for an apology is unlikely to be met, but the open letter has already reframed the narrative: the story is no longer about Modi's reception, but about whether a major opposition party insulted 30,000 people who simply showed up.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'paid crowd' controversy around the Melbourne Meets Modi event?
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with party office-bearers, alleged that the over 30,000 Indian-Australians who attended Prime Minister Modi's July 9 Marvel Stadium event in Melbourne were a 'paid crowd' funded by the BJP or the Government of India. The event's organisers have categorically rejected these claims as false and insulting.
What was 'Modi Airways' and who funded it?
'Modi Airways' was a community-organised travel initiative that coordinated domestic flights for Indian-Australians travelling from cities like Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane to Melbourne for the event. Organisers say it was entirely volunteer-driven, with participants either paying their own fares or travelling through community-supported arrangements — with no BJP or government funding involved.
What are the Melbourne Meets Modi organisers demanding from Congress?
The organisers have asked Congress to publicly acknowledge there is no evidence that Modi Airways was financed by the BJP or the Government of India, withdraw the 'paid crowd' allegation, and offer an unconditional apology to the organisers, volunteers, passengers, and the broader Indian-Australian community.
How large was the Melbourne Modi event and why is it significant?
More than 30,000 people gathered at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on July 9 for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian diaspora, making it one of the largest gatherings for any world leader in Australia. The scale of the turnout is at the heart of the political dispute over whether attendance was organic or organised.
Has Congress responded to the open letter?
As of the time of reporting, no public response from Rahul Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge to the open letter had been issued. The organisers have also invited Congress representatives to engage directly with community leaders before making similar allegations in the future.
