New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp swipe at the ‘Lutyens’ Jamaat’ and ‘Khan Market Gang’ on Saturday, questioning their decades-long silence on certain British-era laws, including one that allowed police to arrest a groom if more than 10 people danced at a wedding. Speaking at the NXT Conclave 2025 in the national capital, Modi criticized activists and legal crusaders for ignoring such draconian laws while selectively targeting his government.
“I am surprised that those who file PILs at every opportunity, those who frequent the courts in the name of liberty, remained silent for 75 years after independence. Why weren’t they worried about freedom back then?” Modi remarked.
Highlighting the Dramatic Performance Act, introduced by the British 150 years ago, he explained that it remained in force even after India’s independence. “Imagine—a simple wedding dance could lead to arrests. Our government abolished it,” he added.
Mocking his critics, Modi suggested that if he had introduced such a law instead of repealing it, the opposition would have created an uproar. “If Modi had brought such a law, they would have set the country on fire and pulled out my hair,” he quipped.
