Actor Gul Panag has reacted strongly to YouTuber Dhruv Rathee after his controversial comments targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent Norway visit sparked debate online. The exchange has generated intense discussions across social media, with opinions sharply divided over criticism, accountability and respect for public office.Known for films like ‘Dhoop’, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’ and ‘Ab Tak Chhappan 2’, Gul took to X, formerly Twitter, to express her disagreement with Rathee’s statements.
Dhruv Rathee’s comments trigger controversy
The controversy erupted after Dhruv Rathee criticised PM Modi following a joint press briefing in Norway with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. During the interaction, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng attempted to ask a question, but the Indian Prime Minister reportedly chose not to respond and walked away.Reacting to the moment online, Rathee shared a series of strongly worded posts against the Prime Minister. In one tweet, he claimed Modi “deserves to be humiliated everywhere he goes” and criticised him for allegedly avoiding press conferences during his tenure.The YouTuber further encouraged foreign journalists to question the Prime Minister publicly. “Embarrass him so much that he is forced to show some accountability in front of people,” Rathee wrote, adding that such actions would be a “great service for India’s progress.”
Gul Panag’s take on Dhruv Rathee’s comments
Rathee’s comments did not sit well with Gul Panag, who publicly called out the YouTuber for what she described as crossing a line between criticism and disrespect. She further explained that disagreement with a government or political leader is completely valid in a democracy, but mocking the office of the Prime Minister on foreign soil was inappropriate in her opinion.“One may dislike a Prime Minister, disagree with a government, protest, debate and vote differently,” she stated, before adding, “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.”The actor also stressed that comments directed at the Prime Minister can reflect on the institution itself and, by extension, the country. “It diminishes him, the institution, and ultimately, us,” Gul wrote in her concluding remarks. Her response quickly gained traction online, with some users supporting her stance on maintaining respect for constitutional offices, while others defended Rathee’s criticism as part of democratic freedom of expression.
Journalist Helle Lyng also faced online backlash
Amid the controversy, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng also became the target of online criticism from sections of Indian social media. Several users accused her of attempting to embarrass the country during an international event. The incident has since evolved into a larger online debate surrounding political criticism, press accountability and the boundaries of public dissent in a democracy.
