Fitness contest turns into ‘fuel challenge’

In the fraught ecosystem of social media, it would appear that even something as innocuous as a motivational fitness video is not immune to the daily cut-and-thrust between political adversaries.

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the fitness challenge from the Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, tweaked the viral social media campaign to throw up their own version of a political challenge for the Modi government.

Using the hashtag #FuelChallenge and tagging captain Kohli, Mr. Gandhi — a fitness enthusiast himself — dared the Prime Minister to take on the fuel challenge.

“Dear PM, Glad to see you accept the @imVkohli fitness challenge. Here’s one from me: Reduce fuel prices or the Congress will do a nationwide agitation and force you to do so. I look forward to your response,” he said on Twitter.

A sporting move

The Congress chief’s political challenge is a twist on the original fitness challenge started by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore last Tuesday. Posting a 33-second video where he is seen doing push-ups in his office, Mr. Rathore invited actor Hrithik Roshan, badminton star Saina Nehwal, and Kohli to join in and post their videos.

The cricketer accepted and, in turn, invited his wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma, the Prime Minister, and cricketer M.S. Dhoni. Taking a cue, the BJP’s political rivals started their own challenge. Apart from Mr. Gandhi, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s younger son, Tejashwi Yadav too entered the fray.

“While we have nothing against accepting fitness challenge from @imVkohli, I urge you to accept the challenge to provide jobs to young, relief to farmers, promise of no violence against Dalits & minorities. Would you accept my challenge @narendramodi Sir?” asked Mr. Yadav.

The Congress has kept up the heat on the government, over high petrol and diesel prices. On behalf of the government, an official said, “trivialising a noble gesture” was “regrettable.”