New Delhi: BJP leaders have strongly criticised Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he made vulgar remarks while attempting to attack the Union government’s foreign policy.
At a Congress event in Delhi, Rahul questioned what he called the Prime Minister’s idea that “hugging foreign leaders” amounts to foreign policy, and said the government’s job is to protect national interests. To illustrate his point, he hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on stage.
During the exchange, Dikshit quipped whether Rahul was not hugging him thinking he was Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Rahul replied that he had “not reached that stage yet.” The video clip has since spread widely on social media.
BJP leaders said the remarks were in poor taste and amounted to mocking both PM Narendra Modi and Meloni. Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi asked when Rahul would “mature,” while Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh called the comments “disgusting” and accused Rahul of lacking basic civility.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also responded online by sharing old photographs of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi embracing leaders such as Fidel Castro and Yasser Arafat, along with a picture from years ago of Rahul hugging Modi in the Lok Sabha.
