India has strong relations with Italy that have expanded in recent years, and it is important to be “respectful of each other” as part of diplomatic practice, the external affairs ministry said on Friday while responding to remarks made by opposition Congress party leaders regarding the PMs of the two countries.
“We have strong ties with Italy. Our ties with Italy in recent years have expanded and strengthened in every which way,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing in response to a question about the remarks by the Congress leaders.
Also Read | ‘Every line of decency crossed’: Huge uproar over Rahul Gandhi's hug dig at govt's foreign policy
“And it's important as part of diplomatic practice that we strengthen our ties…being respectful of each other, and there’s mutual understanding between the two sides,” he said.
What did Rahul Gandhi say on Govt's foreign policy?
Addressing a Congress party event in New Delhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach towards foreign policy and contended that his policy was based on hugging foreign leaders. Gandhi then hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dixit on the stage.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing a Congress party event in New Delhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach towards foreign policy and contended that his policy was based on hugging foreign leaders. Gandhi then hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dixit on the stage.
{{/usCountry}}Dixit then responded, speaking in Hindi, “Did you hug me thinking I was [Italian Prime Minister Giorgia] Meloni?”
Gandhi replied: “I have not reached there yet.”
Modi has developed a rapport with Meloni in recent years, and the two leaders have posted selfies of their meetings and interactions on social media on several occasions.
BJP leaders have criticised the actions of Gandhi and Dixit, with some leaders describing them as “shameful”. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said on social media that the Congress leadership had “crossed every line of decency” by “making objectionable remarks about a woman head of state”.
BJP Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan contended that “mocking” Modi and Meloni “reflects a serious lack of political maturity” and amounted to a “new low for public discourse”.