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Vir Das weighed in as a 15-year-old apologised for abusive slogans against PM Modi during a Delhi protest. The apology video has sparked a divided reaction online
The row over a teenager’s apology for using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a new turn after comedian Vir Das weighed in (Image-X/@chotadon)
Comedian Vir Das has weighed in on the controversy surrounding a teenager who apologised for raising abusive slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
As the video continues to circulate online, Das shared his thoughts on social media, writing, “Have a look at the comments section or dms of any girl in India. Then maybe we can lecture them about their own language.”
The controversy centres around Ruchika Singh, who claimed in a video that she is 15 years old and apologised with folded hands after allegedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Modi during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar.
In the video, Singh said she had gone to Connaught Place with her friends when she came across the protest. According to her, the atmosphere at the venue and the people around her influenced her into making remarks that later went viral.
“I went to visit CP with my friends. There was a protest going on, and many groups had gathered there. People were saying all sorts of things, including filthy abuses against the Prime Minister. I got influenced because they told me to say something too. I was impressed and ended up saying a lot of things. I’m just 15 years old,” she said.
Calling her remarks “unforgivable”, Singh expressed regret over the incident and maintained that she never uploaded the original video herself.
“What I did is unforgivable. I said something very vulgar. But this is my first and last mistake. I will never do something like that again. I never posted that video. I want to say sorry to the entire nation. I can’t even look up. Please forgive me. Please,” she said.
PM Modi Appeals For Leniency
The incident also prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the controversy in a video message shared on Friday. Referring to the abusive remarks directed at him and his late mother, he described the incident as a “cultural shock” but urged people not to seek punitive action against the young protesters.
“They abused not only me but also my late mother. It was such a vile thing. But mistakes happen at a young age, and this is also an opportunity to correct those mistakes,” Modi said.
Calling the protesters “misguided children”, the Prime Minister said they should be guided rather than punished.
“I want to forgive them. Society should also accept my decision,” he said, adding that making young people run from one court to another would not solve the larger problem. “These children have lost their way. It is our responsibility to show them the right path.”
Internet Reacts
After the apology video went viral, it prompted a wave of reactions from users, with opinions sharply divided over the apology, the Prime Minister’s response, and the broader debate around online abuse.
One user wrote, “I don’t favor one point of view, but I think the only difference from other abusers of such figures is that she was caught on camera, whereas many others weren’t. She shouldn’t be penalized for being captured on camera. Also, I don’t think these issues deserve PM’s time.”
Another commented, “Language was very bad and apology is doubly fake.”
A third user said, “I think what she did was terrible !no two ways about that ! but then she’s young has a big life ahead, forgive her .. Our Honourable PM Has Shown The Way, Jai Hind !!”
A fourth added, “It’s just at that age they think they can get away doing anything and they just don’t think about consequences… Infact no one can ever know if these girls were influenced by people trying to ingress politics into it. They could have been paid a lot of money to even be there.”
Another user remarked, “The so-called people who complained about the minor girl’s alleged abuse need to take a good look at themselves, because I’m pretty sure they aren’t reciting SHLOKAS either.”
Claims Of Mistaken Identity
Alongside the debate over the apology, several social media users questioned whether the girl in the apology video was the same person seen in the viral protest clip.
One user wrote, “It’s not the same girl. Ruchika is 25 not a 15year old student. Clear case of mistaken identity because of facial resemblance.”
Another said, “Mistaken identity! A 25-year-old cannot become a 15-year-old. The resemblance in their faces is deceptive.”
A third simply commented, “These are two different people.”
August 01, 2026, 13:00 IST
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