Amid mounting criticism, the Press Club of India denied organising the event, and pointed out that it was later stopped.

Amid mounting criticism, the Press Club of India denied organising the event, and pointed out that it was later stopped.

Amid mounting criticism, the Press Club of India denied organising the event, and pointed out that it was later stopped.

Videos of a life-size cutout of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the centre of a religious-style event at the Press Club of India (PCI) in Delhi went viral on Thursday, sparking major backlash online.

Featuring the words 'Bhagwan Shri Narendra Modi Chalisa' in large letters on a banner at the back, the event's organisers—members of the Bihar State Transgender Welfare Board—were seen performing an aarti for the PM at the event.

Some participants could also be heard chanting "Jai Jai Modi, Har Har Modi", in the style of an aarti for Hindu deities.

In fact, the life-size cutout of the PM also depicted him as a mythical deity-like figure, wielding a bow with a peacock feather in his crown.

Amid mounting criticism, the PCI denied organising the event, and pointed out that it was later stopped.

"The Press Club of India has noticed that a photo/video of an event held at its premises earlier today, is circulating on social media. It is hereby clarified that the Club had not organised the event," it wrote in a post on X.

"The hall was hired for the purpose of holding a press conference by an organisation, but when terms for renting out the place were violated by it, the Club authorities immediately intervened and it was stopped," it added.

However, Rajan Singh, the vice president of the Bihar State Transgender Welfare Board, defended the event, saying that the Modi government had provided right for transgender people "for the first time ... they are getting employment".

He also claimed that the Board would build a ₹112 crore temple dedicated to PM Modi for the same reason.

"Nobody should criticise it ... If we want to construct a temple for him, what is wrong with it?" Singh told PTI.

As for the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, which has been criticised for stripping away the right to gender self-determination, Singh added that the community is not the one opposing it.

"Transgender people are not against the Act, it was the opposition that was criticising it," he claimed.

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