Teen in Modi remark controversy resurfaces in new video, alleges PM made her 'life hell'
A teenager who was at the centre of a controversy after a video of her alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi went viral last month has resurfaced in a fresh video in which she allegedly accuses the Prime Minister of making her “life hell” and says she will not “back down”.
The video, which began circulating widely on social media on Sunday, has triggered a fresh political storm after the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress shared it on their official X accounts.
In the video, the girl is heard saying, “Modi ji, you have made my life hell. You have hounded a 15-year-old girl so much that she has been tortured everywhere. I have to hide my face everywhere.” She goes on to say that she has “nothing to lose” and that she will not back down this time. She is also heard allegedly calling PM Modi a “coward”.
The Tribune could not independently verify the recording date or establish when or where the video was shot. However, her lawyer, Anil Singh, told The Tribune exclusively that the video was not AI-generated, but he refrained from confirming that the girl appearing in the clip was his client.
Sources told The Tribune that the video was originally posted by the teenager herself on her new Instagram account. According to those sources, she is currently staying with her parents in Haryana after the family left their home in Noida following the events that unfolded after her earlier Jantar Mantar video went viral and a Zero FIR was registered against her at Parliament Street police station.
The fresh video has quickly become a political flashpoint. The AAP shared the video on X with a Hindi message alleging that the girl had been “hounded, threatened and forced to apologise”. The Congress also shared the video and alleged that the teenager was intimidated into apologising and described it as misuse of power. The allegations made by both parties could not be independently verified.
The earlier controversy began when a video from July 23 showed the teenager, then identified as a 15-year-old, allegedly making abusive remarks against PM Modi and his late mother during a protest at Jantar Mantar. A Zero FIR was registered on July 29 following a complaint by Supreme Court advocate Smriti Singh Chandel. The FIR was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, statements conducing to public mischief and defamation.
A video purportedly showing the girl apologising with folded hands went viral. A day later, PM Modi posted a video on social media in which he said that young people should not be subjected to punitive action and urged forgiveness. Soon after, the complaint against the teenager was withdrawn, but it remained unclear if the FIR was withdrawn.
Her lawyer, Anil Singh, claimed she was 15 years old and studying via open schooling. He also alleged that the FIR contained incorrect age and identity details.
Separately, her mother told The Telegraph that the family was forced to move out of their rented home in Noida after being hounded by police and mediapersons. Scroll had reported that several supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party had shared a phone number and names of her family members on social media, with abusive and sexually-coloured comments about the teenager.
The youth protests against alleged mismanagement of competitive examinations began on June 6 with a demonstration by the “Cockroach Janta Party” at Jantar Mantar. Thousands joined the protest on July 20. Earlier, police forcibly took activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital after a three-week hunger strike, and police used lathis, tear gas, and pellet guns, injuring dozens. Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.