Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under intense fire from opposition leaders and civil society after making a controversial remark about Muslim youth, suggesting they end up repairing bicycle punctures due to the alleged misuse of Waqf properties. Speaking at an airport inauguration in Hisar, Haryana, Modi claimed that had Waqf properties been utilized “honestly,” Muslim youth wouldn’t have to rely on such small-scale jobs for survival. The comment, seen as a reference to the term “puncture-wallah,” which is often used in a derogatory manner to mock Muslims’ economic struggles, was swiftly condemned by several political leaders. Critics, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, slammed the statement as deeply insensitive and divisive. Owaisi retorted that if the RSS—the ideological parent of Modi’s BJP—had functioned in national interest, then Modi himself might not have had to sell tea in his youth. He further argued that the government has systematically weakened Waqf administration and questioned what the Modi government had done for poor Indians, regardless of religion, over the past 11 years.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi denounced Modi’s language as something typically used by social media trolls, warning that such rhetoric degraded the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister. Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi highlighted the BJP’s lack of Muslim representation in both houses of Parliament and pointed out that despite controlling vast temple assets, the socio-economic condition of poor Hindus hadn’t significantly improved either. He further criticized the government’s actions such as removing Haj subsidies and failing to provide reservation to Muslims, while targeting them under the guise of reform. Congress spokesperson Dr. Shama Mohamed joined the chorus of criticism, stating that Modi’s comments not only mocked struggling Muslim youth but also revealed the hypocrisy of a government that decries minority welfare schemes as appeasement while offering little in return for socio-economic upliftment.
Beyond political opposition, prominent voices from civil society and academia also spoke out. Literary critic Purushottam Agarwal emphasized that no profession—including repairing punctures or selling pakoras—should be demeaned, and to do so reflects poorly on one’s character. Journalist Awesh Tiwari listed contributions of Muslims in defense, manufacturing, and India’s freedom movement to counter Modi’s reductive portrayal. Congress Delhi coordinator Apurva Bhardwaj accused Modi of using emotionally charged imagery like “chaiwala” and “puncture-wallah” to manipulate public sentiment rather than address real issues. He described such statements as politically calculated to stereotype Muslims, not as citizens with dignity but as vote-bank caricatures. Bhardwaj warned that these narratives aren’t rooted in compassion but in an agenda of soft humiliation, presenting Muslims not as empowered individuals but as convenient props in a larger political script. This remark is seen as part of a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric by Modi, who last year referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and suggested Congress would redistribute wealth to families with “more children”—another veiled communal jab.
