Italy Criticises Rahul Gandhi Over Remark on PM Meloni, Says 'Disrespect Is Not Welcome

New Delhi: The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi has issued a strong statement expressing disapproval over remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The embassy said the comments were disrespectful and should not have been made as part of India's internal politics.

What the embassy said

In its statement dated August 14, the embassy said it was deeply concerned about the comments credited to Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. It said that while political disagreement is a normal part of any democracy, India's internal political issues should not be used as a reason to mock or disrespect the Prime Minister of Italy.

The embassy said it respects India's democratic system and open political debate, and expects the same respect to be shown toward Italy and its elected leadership. It added, in clear words, "Political debate is welcome. Disrespect toward our Prime Minister is not."

The statement ended by highlighting the long friendship between Italy and India, built on mutual respect, dignity, and shared democratic values.

How the row started

The controversy began on Thursday, when Rahul Gandhi spoke at the Rachnatmak Congress national convention. During his speech, he brought up the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi often hugs foreign leaders when he meets them, including Meloni.

Making his point, Gandhi said he did not understand where Modi got this habit from, and joked that "strange ideas" sometimes get into people's heads, with Modi believing that this was how foreign policy worked. As he said this, he walked up to fellow Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on stage and gave him a big hug, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Dikshit then joked back, asking Gandhi if he was hugging him while imagining he was Meloni. Gandhi replied that he had not "reached that stage yet," which led to more laughter among those present.

The moment quickly turned into a political controversy. The BJP criticised Gandhi's remark, calling it an immature comment unsuitable for a senior political leader. The Congress party, on the other hand, defended Gandhi, pointing out that he had not directly named Meloni during his remarks and that the comment was being blown out of proportion.

With the Italian Embassy now weighing in officially, the issue has moved beyond domestic politics and taken on a diplomatic angle. It remains to be seen whether the Congress party or Rahul Gandhi will respond directly to the embassy's statement.

Read More: ‘Uncultured, Crude & Vulgar’: BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Locker Room Talk’ Targeting PM Modi and Giorgia Meloni