MELBOURNE: The organisers of the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ community reception in Australia have issued a strongly worded open letter to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, demanding an immediate public retraction and apology over allegations that the thousands of attendees at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Melbourne event were a “paid crowd” funded by the BJP or the Government of India.
Describing the allegations as “entirely false, deeply disrespectful, and profoundly insulting,” the organisers said the remarks unfairly targeted the Indian-Australian community and undermined the voluntary efforts of thousands who travelled across Australia to participate in what they called a historic community celebration.
The Organisers of the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ community event have written an open letter to Congress Party.
Representatives of the Indian diaspora have expressed disappointment over comments by Opposition leaders regarding the Modi Express flight and allegations that the… pic.twitter.com/bgojMdcW0r
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The controversy follows Congress leader Pawan Khera’s remarks questioning the scale of the event and sharing reports suggesting that attendees were transported through chartered flights arranged using political funding. The organisers have categorically denied these claims, maintaining that no political party or government financed the participation of those who attended.
Held at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on July 9, the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ event attracted more than 30,000 people, making it one of the largest gatherings for any world leader in Australia. The stadium resonated with chants of “Modi, Modi” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” as members of the Indian diaspora gathered to welcome PM Modi during his visit.
Addressing Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge directly, the organisers wrote, “We are deeply disappointed by statements and social media commentary from Congress office-bearers and individuals associated with your party alleging that those who travelled to Melbourne were a ‘paid crowd’ funded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Government of India. These allegations are entirely false, deeply disrespectful, and profoundly insulting to the Indian-Australian community.”
The organisers explained that the much-discussed “Modi Airways” initiative was a volunteer-driven community effort created solely to coordinate domestic travel from cities such as Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. They clarified that it was not financed by the BJP, the Government of India or the Australian government.
According to the letter, participants either paid for their own travel, accommodation and other expenses or travelled through community-supported arrangements organised by volunteers.
“No government or political party financed their attendance. Those who made the journey did so voluntarily. They took leave from work, rearranged family commitments, travelled long distances, and invested their own time and resources because they wished to be part of a significant community event,” the organisers stated.
Speaking to media, organiser Amit Karanth reinforced the same position, saying every attendee participated voluntarily.
“Not a single penny was spent to bring people from different states to Melbourne. They travelled on their own and attended voluntarily. They also paid for their own accommodation and other expenses. So describing the event as a ‘paid crowd’ is simply incorrect and deeply disappointing,” he said.
The letter further argued that dismissing the gathering as a “manufactured” or “rented” crowd amounted to questioning the integrity of thousands of Indian-Australians who had independently chosen to attend.
Highlighting the diverse backgrounds of those present, the organisers wrote that the passengers included Australian citizens, permanent residents, professionals, entrepreneurs, students, families, senior citizens and volunteers who have built successful lives in Australia while maintaining strong cultural ties with India.
“To dismiss them as a rented or manufactured political crowd is not merely criticism of PM Modi. It is a direct insult to the intelligence, independence and dignity of thousands of Indian-Australians,” the letter stated.
Rejecting any suggestion that the diaspora was politically directed, the organisers stressed that the Indian-Australian community “is not a collection of political props” and does not require anyone’s permission to celebrate its heritage, welcome a democratically elected leader or participate in events that strengthen Australia-India relations.
The organisers also emphasised that Indian-Australians represent a politically diverse community.
“Some support Congress, some support the BJP, some support other political parties, and many have no political affiliation whatsoever. Their political independence deserves respect, not suspicion,” the letter said.
Explaining the reasons behind the massive turnout, the organisers noted that attendees came with different motivations.
“People attended for many reasons. Some admire PM Modi. Others wished to witness a historic diplomatic visit. Many came to celebrate the friendship between Australia and India. Others simply wanted to participate in an event of historic significance for the Indian diaspora. Such diversity of motivation is the very essence of a healthy democracy,” they wrote.
The letter also highlighted the months of planning that went into organising the charter flight initiative, saying volunteers coordinated passenger registrations, negotiated logistics, accepted personal financial risks and sacrificed family and professional commitments to make the event possible.
While acknowledging the Congress party’s democratic right to oppose PM Modi and the BJP, the organisers argued that political disagreements should not translate into questioning the motives of ordinary members of the Indian diaspora.
“You are fully entitled to oppose PM Modi, criticise the BJP, and challenge the policies of the Government of India. Political disagreement is fundamental to any democratic society. However, it is neither fair nor appropriate to dismiss the independent choices of thousands of ordinary people simply because their enthusiasm does not align with a particular political narrative,” the letter said.
The organisers have placed three demands before the Congress leadership: publicly acknowledge that there is no evidence the charter flight was financed by the BJP or the Government of India, withdraw allegations that attendees were a paid or manufactured crowd, and issue an apology to the organisers, volunteers, passengers and the wider Indian-Australian community.
Describing the event as a celebration of the growing Australia-India partnership and the contribution of the Indian community to Australian society, the organisers concluded that “the Indian diaspora should never become collateral damage in India’s domestic political debates.”
