Copy-paste protest stunts? Another Delhi woman's bus-blocking act sparks backlash

A woman was filmed standing in front of a bus during a protest near Delhi's Jantar Mantar. The clip drew comparisons with Rhiya Ahir's viral protest image and a backlash over performative activism.The pose quickly drew comparisons with model Rhiya Ahir, who went viral after being seen stopping a police vehicle during student protests in Mumbai earlier this year.A protest in Delhi has triggered a fresh debate over whether dramatic, camera-friendly stunts are becoming a copy-paste formula for going viral, after another woman was filmed standing in front of a bus at Jantar Mantar.The video, which surfaced on social media, shows the woman standing directly in front of a bus as a protest was underway near Jantar Mantar. Her pose quickly drew comparisons with model Rhiya Ahir, who went viral after being seen stopping a police vehicle during student protests in Mumbai earlier this year.The latest clip was shared on X by user @ojasbhandarii, who questioned the apparent trend of protesters recreating similar poses for social media attention.“Atp every person is just trying to go viral by doing this model pose and it’s getting so annoying pls stop,” the user wrote. atp every person is just trying to go viral by doing this model pose and it’s getting so annoying pls stop https://t.co/ACLjm41DNa— Ojas Bhandari (@ojasbhandarii) October 3, 2026 The video surfaced amid demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities linked to electoral roll revisions. But online discussion around the clip quickly moved away from the issue being protested and towards the woman’s pose and the apparent similarity with earlier viral protest footage.Several users mocked the woman and accused her of trying to turn the demonstration into a social media moment. Some called the act “embarrassing” and “cringe”, while others suggested that protests were increasingly being used to create Instagram-friendly content. “Ban Insta for few days. And see these protest dying. It’s not even for any cause atp. Just for sale of virality or someshitt,” one user said.Another user questioned whether the woman could distinguish between the vehicle in the video and the police vehicle involved in Rhiya Ahir’s viral moment.“She doesn’t know the difference between a private bus and a police van.. .. @HMOIndia. Please bring strict rule for making reels. This is the reason I never created my account on Meta, I made a right decision.. ,” the user wrote.“Everyone wants a ticket to Bigg Boss by doing the Gadi roko stunt,” another user said.A fourth user agreed that such moments were increasingly becoming a familiar formula during protests.“So true Ojas. It’s become a formula now – pose anywhere for viral views. Totally ignores what’s actually happening in the background,” the user said.Another commenter questioned whether gaining Instagram followers and engagement had become a bigger motivation for some protesters.“I feel protests are only for increasing Instagram followers and get more engagement, most people on streets aren’t bothered about any of the issues they are raising!” the user said.The latest backlash comes a day after another woman’s dramatic intervention during a Jantar Mantar protest drew widespread attention and comparisons with Rhiya Ahir.THE RHIYA AHIR MOMENTAs thousands of protesters gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Friday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a young woman stood in front of a bus with her hand pressed against its hood.She refused to let the bus pass until protesters detained inside were released. The striking visual quickly spread online, with social media users comparing her with Rhiya Ahir.Ahir had made headlines earlier this year after she was seen stopping a police vehicle during student protests in Mumbai. Her image and pose became widely shared on social media.The comparison was immediate, with some users asking whether Delhi had found its own “Rhiya Ahir moment”. Others dismissed the act as nothing more than a “publicity stunt”.The incident took place as parts of central Delhi witnessed protests after opposition parties, including the AAP and Congress, announced a major agitation demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.Around 13.3 crore names have been deleted from draft voter lists amid the nationwide SIR exercise. The opposition protests were also fuelled by an Indian Express investigation that reported an internal rift within the Election Commission over the SIR process.Now, with another woman appearing in a strikingly similar bus-blocking pose, social media users have turned the focus towards what they see as a growing trend of copying viral protest moments.Whether the latest act was inspired by the earlier viral incident is not clear. The similarity, however, has been enough to reignite the debate over where protest activism ends and the pursuit of social media virality begins.WHO IS RHIYA AHIR?The visual was reminiscent of a similar scene from Mumbai in July during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests. A young woman, drenched in the rain, was photographed standing in front of a police van carrying detained student protesters during an agitation at Shivaji Park.The image came to define the student protests in Mumbai, which ultimately resulted in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister.The woman was later identified as Rhiya Ahir, a Mumbai-based theatre actor and model. Within days, she was everywhere, from attending TV debates to holding a media briefing with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.It effectively became a springboard that catapulted her into the limelight. She was recently part of Salman Khan's reality show Big Boss.- Ends