New Delhi: A day after Congress leaders took a swipe at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the Central government called for restraint and respect in comments involving foreign leaders.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday India has “strong ties” with Italy.
“India has strong relations with Italy. We want to further strengthen these relations. Any issue should be put forward with respect,” Jaiswal said.
Rahul Gandhi mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, saying his foreign policy appears to have been reduced to “hugging leaders”.
The Leader of Opposition demonstrated his point by hugging Rachnatmak Congress chief Sandeep Dikshit on stage.
“Imagine the ignorance… where did he get the idea that foreign policy was about hugging leaders?” Rahul said.
Dikshit then asked Rahul, “Ek cheez pooch sakta hoon? Meloni samajh ke toh nahi pakda tha? (Can I ask a question? Did you embrace thinking me to be Meloni?).”
Rahul replied, “I have not reached there yet.”
The reference was to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and her camaraderie with PM Modi. They are one of internet’s favourites too, with #Melodi trending whenever they meet. In May, social media users went berserk over Modi gifting Meloni a box of Melody toffees during his visit to Rome.
As Rahul and Dikshit brought up the Meloni reference in public, the BJP slammed the Congress leaders for mocking Modi’’s handling of foreign policy and accused the Wayanad MP of using “uncultured and indecent” language, and lowering the dignity of the office of the Leader of Opposition.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey invoked Rahul’s family history of diplomatic embraces to counter the ‘hugging foreign leaders’ jibe.
In a post on X, Dubey shared photographs of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, as well as a viral image of Rahul hugging PM Modi in Lok Sabha eight years ago, with the caption, “Rahul Gandhi ji calls this choking sensation gastric fire, or is it the fire of lust?”
राहुल गांधी @RahulGandhi जी इस गले पड़ने को जठराग्नि कहते हैं कि कामाग्नि ? pic.twitter.com/qt4Fuyh13z
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) August 13, 2026
