Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Rajnath Singh condemns Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Modi foreign policy
The Prime Minister of India is a very important person named Narendra Modi.
A politician named Rahul Gandhi does not agree with how the Prime Minister talks to leaders of other countries.
Gandhi said the Prime Minister should focus on protecting India instead of just being friendly with other leaders.
He made fun of this by hugging another politician on stage, and someone joked that maybe he was pretending to hug the leader of Italy.
Many leaders from the ruling party were upset by Gandhi's words and actions.
They said his language was rude and disrespectful for someone in his position.
Some leaders, like Rajnath Singh, said Gandhi had insulted the whole country.
Other people said Gandhi was just trying to make an important political point.
The government said India and Italy are good friends.
So some people think Gandhi was right to criticize, and others think he went too far.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks on PM Modi and India's foreign policy as "petty and condemnable," saying they lowered the dignity of the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition post.
Gandhi, at a Congress event on Thursday, said the PM's job is to protect India's interests rather than focus on "mere friendships" with foreign leaders.
Gandhi mocked the foreign policy as being about "hugging politicians" and hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on stage; Dikshit quipped about whether Gandhi had Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in mind.
BJP and NDA leaders including J.P. Nadda, Pralhad Joshi, Chirag Paswan and Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned Gandhi's language, with Joshi asking "Rahul Gandhi, when will you grow up?"
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed India's strong and expanding ties with Italy, while RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha defended Gandhi's remarks as a political message.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, criticised PM Narendra Modi's foreign policy; Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several BJP/NDA leaders condemned his remarks.
- What
- A political controversy over Gandhi's satirical remarks that Modi's foreign policy was reduced to "hugging leaders" and "mere friendships."
- When
- Gandhi's remarks were made on Thursday at a Congress event; condemnations followed on Friday.
- Where
- India (the specific location of the Congress event was not stated in the articles).
- Why
- BJP and NDA leaders said the remarks insulted the PM and India's international prestige and lowered the dignity of the Leader of Opposition post, while Gandhi argued foreign policy should protect national interests rather than personal friendships.
BJP and NDA leaders
Rahul Gandhi and his supporters
Appropriateness of Gandhi's language
BJP and NDA leaders
NDA leaders called the remarks "petty, condemnable, undignified and shameful," saying Gandhi crossed every line of decency, lowered the dignity of the LoP post and damaged India's foreign relations.
Rahul Gandhi and his supporters
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said the remarks carried a genuine political message that got lost in the language, and Congress MP Pawan Khera said criticism of Modi was deserved because he claims credit for all major foreign policy decisions.
State of India's foreign policy under Modi
BJP and NDA leaders
Rajnath Singh said PM Modi brought prestige to India nationally and internationally and is working towards a "Viksit Bharat" (developed India); the MEA stressed strong, respectful ties with Italy.
Rahul Gandhi and his supporters
Gandhi argued foreign policy was not about hugging leaders or mere friendships and that the PM's duty is to protect the country's interests.
- Gandhi's core criticism
- PM's role is to protect India's interests, not engage in "mere friendships" or "hugging politicians"
- Rajnath Singh's response
- Called the remarks "petty and condemnable" and said they shredded the dignity of the Lok Sabha LoP post
- On-stage gesture
- Gandhi hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit to mock the foreign policy; Dikshit joked about Italian PM Giorgia Meloni
- Other critics
- J.P. Nadda, Pralhad Joshi, Chirag Paswan, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sudhanshu Trivedi, CR Kesavan and Sambit Patra
- MEA response
- Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's ties with Italy have expanded and strengthened and that mutual respect is important in diplomacy
- Notable supporter
- RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said Gandhi's remarks should be viewed as a political message
