India Stresses Ties with Italy Amid Controversy Over Rahul Gandhi's Remarks

A day after an exchange between two senior Congress leaders during a party event sparked a controversy involving Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, India on Friday, August 14, stressed that it enjoys strong ties with Italy and highlighted the need to uphold mutual respect in public discourse. At his media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have strong ties with Italy. Our ties with Italy in recent years have expanded and strengthened. It is important, as part of diplomatic practice, that we strengthen our ties, keeping in mind being respectful of each other.” Jaiswal was responding to a question on Rahul Gandhi’s recent criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of foreign policy and subsequent remarks by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit. Addressing the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, Gandhi said that it has somehow been ingrained in Modi’s mind that foreign policy is about hugging leaders. “Imagine the ignorance… where did he get the idea that foreign policy was about hugging leaders?” he said. As if giving a demonstration, Gandhi then called Rachnatmak Congress chief Sandeep Dikshit, grabbed him by the shoulders, and held him in a tight embrace. An initially stunned Dikshit then shot back, “ Meloni samajh ke toh nahi pakda tha (Did you mistake me for Meloni?)” As the venue erupted into laughter, Gandhi said, “ Abhi wahaan nahi pohonche hain (I haven’t reached there yet).” The LoP also alleged that the Centre was trying to conceal the fact that China has stopped Indian troops from patrolling in certain areas along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh. There has been no official word on any such development in Arunachal Pradesh yet. Meanwhile, the BJP hit back at the Congress leaders even as senior members chose to attack Gandhi alone. Party MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra posted on X, “The level of Rahul Gandhi’s language and political conduct is deteriorating by the day. The kind of objectionable and indecent language used against constitutional and esteemed figures such as the country’s Prime Minister and Italy’s Head of State is shameful for any civilised democratic and political culture…the country is watching him, and that’s why they have rejected him, time and again…” Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi accused Gandhi of insulting the people of India by attacking the Prime Minister. “Rahul Gandhi, when will you grow up? Running India requires mature leadership, not amateur dramatics. Calling a democratically elected government ‘jokers and clowns’ proves you are out of your depth,” he posted on X. In the national capital, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said to the media, “The nation must decide whether what Rahul Gandhi has done is merely the childish antics of a frustrated, deranged and envious person consumed by jealousy towards Modi or the nefarious act of an individual serving as an instrument in a systematic conspiracy orchestrated by forces across the border.” (