Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Fact-Check Questions Italian Disapproval of Rahul Gandhi's Meloni Remarks
Rahul Gandhi is a leader of a big political party in India called the Congress.
He made jokes about the hugs that India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, gives to leaders of other countries.
One of those leaders is the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni.
A picture that looked like a message from Italy's embassy in New Delhi said Italy was very upset with Rahul's jokes.
But a fact-checking report says Italy never actually sent that message, and the picture is being shared widely on social media.
Some people on social media said Rahul brought shame to India with his jokes.
A minister from another party, the BJP, named Pralhad Joshi, said Rahul should grow up and stop making silly jokes.
Rahul made his jokes while hugging his friend Sanjay Dikshit, and everyone in the room laughed.
Because the two news reports tell different stories, we do not know for sure whether Italy really complained.
A fact-check says Italy did not issue a statement on Rahul Gandhi's Meloni remarks, contradicting a widely shared image of an alleged embassy statement.
The alleged statement attributed to the Italian Embassy in New Delhi expressed 'deep concern and strong disapproval' over remarks called derogatory to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
At the Rachnatmak Congress national convention, Gandhi mocked PM Modi's hugs with foreign leaders, saying Modi 'thinks this is foreign policy.'
Gandhi's hug with party member Sanjay Dikshit drew laughter after Dikshit asked, 'You weren't hugging me thinking I was Meloni?' and Gandhi replied, 'I haven't reached that stage yet.'
BJP Education Minister Pralhad Joshi called Gandhi's 'bunch of jokers' remarks 'amateur dramatics,' saying he mocked millions of voters who chose Modi for three historic terms.
- Who
- Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Congress member Sanjay Dikshit, BJP Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, and the Italian Embassy in India
- What
- Gandhi mocked Modi's hugs with foreign leaders including Meloni; a widely shared image of an alleged Italian Embassy statement of 'deep concern and strong disapproval' was contradicted by a fact-check saying Italy issued no such statement, while the BJP condemned the remarks
- When
- Not specified in the articles; the remarks were made at the Rachnatmak Congress national convention
- Where
- India, at the Rachnatmak Congress national convention; the alleged statement came from the Italian Embassy in New Delhi
- Why
- The alleged statement said India's internal political matters should not become a pretext for mocking or disrespecting Italy's PM, while the BJP said insulting the PM mocks millions of voters who chose Modi for three historic terms
Fact-Check & Congress
BJP & Italian Embassy
Was the Italian Embassy statement genuine?
Fact-Check & Congress
A fact-check says Italy did not issue a statement; the image circulating is 'alleged' and 'purported,' widely shared on social media without verification.
BJP & Italian Embassy
News reports state the Italian embassy in India reacted strongly, expressing 'deep concern and strong disapproval' over the remarks.
Satire or disrespect?
Fact-Check & Congress
Gandhi's remarks, including the Dikshit exchange and the reply 'I haven't reached that stage yet,' drew laughter and were delivered as humor at a party convention.
BJP & Italian Embassy
The alleged statement said India's internal political matters should not be a pretext for mocking Italy's PM; Joshi called the behavior 'amateur dramatics' that mock millions of voters who chose Modi for three historic terms.
- Key figures
- Rahul Gandhi, PM Narendra Modi, PM Giorgia Meloni, Sanjay Dikshit, Pralhad Joshi
- Setting
- Rachnatmak Congress national convention
- Alleged embassy statement
- 'Deep concern and strong disapproval' over remarks attributed to Giorgia Meloni
- Fact-check finding
- Italy did not issue a statement; the image is widely shared on social media
- Gandhi's quip
- Modi 'thinks this is foreign policy' about his hugs with leaders
- Dikshit-Gandhi exchange
- 'You weren't hugging me thinking I was Meloni?' / 'I haven't reached that stage yet'
- BJP response
- Pralhad Joshi called remarks 'amateur dramatics'; cited Modi's three historic terms and Gandhi's almost 100 electoral defeats
