Congress MP Manish Tewari’s comments regarding the recent political changes in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and protests in the Philippines have ignited controversy, as the BJP interprets them as a sign of unease within the Congress party concerning the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Tewari referred to the upheaval in these nations as a rejection of “the politics of entitlement” and used the term “#nepokids” in his post on X (formerly Twitter).
Amit Malviya of the BJP seized on Tewari’s wording, suggesting that Tewari’s critique targets Rahul Gandhi, whom he described as the “ultimate ‘nepo kid’ of Indian politics.” Tewari observed that significant political events, such as the ousting of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka (July 2023), the anticipated downfall of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh (July 2024), K P Sharma Oli in Nepal (September 2025), and ongoing protests against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines, signify a generational shift, implying that entitlement is no longer tolerated by generations X, Y, and Z.
In addition, Tewari announced plans to publish a piece titled “The Social Media Trends that toppled or are challenging ‘DYNASTS’,” while urging readers to engage with the trends of #nepokids and #TrillionPesoMarch. The BJP, leveraging Tewari’s remarks, accused the Congress of having internal dissent against its own leadership. Malviya stated, “Forget Gen Z, even Congress’s own veterans are fed up with his regressive politics. The revolt is now from within.”
Congress spokesperson Sambit Patra responded, pointing out that India had already rejected the concept of “nepokids” in 2014. Tewari later clarified his position, asserting that he felt misrepresented and expressed his disappointment over the dialogue being reduced to a Congress-BJP rivalry. He emphasized the serious national security implications of current events unfolding in South and East Asia.
