On Gandhi Jayanti, When SP Leader Wept Holding Bapu's Statue: 'Desh Azad Karakar Kahan Chale Gaye...'

Last Updated:October 02, 2025, 11:29 IST

The original video is a minute long, and was shot on On October 2, 2019. It was filmed when SP leader Firoz Khan gathered at the Gandhi statue UP's Sambhal district.

Gandhi Jayanti Viral Video: The social media trolls labeled Firoz Khan as the 'best nominee' for an Oscar award. (X/@SachinGuptaUP)

On Gandhi Jayanti, a 2019 video of Samajwadi Party leaders is cracking up the internet. Amused by the 21-second clip, many X users even went into the details and spotted a couple of ‘netas’ laughing too. But what’s the video about?

In the clip, which has been viewed by over 51,000 people, a leader from Akhilesh Yadav’s party can be seen holding a garlanded statue of Mahatma Gandhi and weeping, while others pat his back and try to console him. A couple of leaders present in the frame can be seen giggling.

Many social media users dropped laughter emoji on the video that was captioned, “Without this video, Gandhi Jayanti would be considered incomplete!!".

An X user commented, “Seeing such drama, even ‘Bapu’ must be laughing. These days everything is done for vote bank."

How Old Is The Video? Where Did This Happen & Who Are The Leaders?

The original video is a minute long, and was shot on On October 2, 2019. It was filmed when Firoz Khan, the district unit president of Samajwadi Party, gathered at the Gandhi statue at Fawara Chowk in Chandausi in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district.

The SP workers and local leaders, led by Khan, arrived at the location to pay tribute on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.

Firoz Khan, while expressing sorrow over Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, began crying and said, “Desh azad karakar Bapu kahan chalegaye aap".

Shortly, the one-minute video went viral, with social media users trolling the then SP district unit president. The social media trolls labeled Khan as the “best nominee" for an Oscar award.

After the viral spread of the video, Khan faced intense criticism from various parties, primarily the BJP, which accused him of disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi by shedding “crocodile tears."

“His eyes were dry, and he was merely dishonoring Gandhiji. Furthermore, it was not Gandhi’s death anniversary but his birth anniversary, which was being celebrated nationwide with great enthusiasm. Yet, the SP leader and his workers were mourning like banshees, which is repulsive," a Times of India report quoted BJP district unit president, Om Veer Singh, as saying.

What Did Firoz Khan Say After His Video Went Viral?

In his defence, Khan said that he was pained to see Gandhi’s statue covered in dust, which moved him to tears.

He questioned BJP leaders, accusing them of hypocrisy and demanding they clarify their loyalty to either Gandhi or Godse.

Other Controversies Of SP Leader Firoz Khan

Months before this viral video, Firoz Khan hit headlines for dressing as a groom with his face covered in a “sehara". He managed to enter Rampur, avoiding police security.

The police had sealed the borders of Rampur where SP president Akhilesh Yadav had come to support Azam Khan, who then faced multiple land grab charges. Before this, during the Lok Sabha elections in May 2019, Khan had sparked controversy with inappropriate and sexist comments against BJP candidate Jaya Prada, who contested from the Rampur seat.

News viral On Gandhi Jayanti, When SP Leader Wept Holding Bapu's Statue: 'Desh Azad Karakar Kahan Chale Gaye...'

Read More