NEW DELHI — The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party launched a fierce multi-pronged attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of lowering the dignity of his constitutional office after he mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy approach during a public address.
Speaking at the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, Gandhi criticized the Prime Minister’s diplomatic style, alleging that PM Modi oversimplifies international relations into symbolic gestures and public embraces. To demonstrate his point, Gandhi staged a mock hug with party colleague Sandeep Dikshit on stage, while referring to the ruling BJP-RSS establishment as a “bunch of jokers” lacking a nuanced understanding of India.
The incident escalated further when comments referencing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were made during the exchange, drawing sharp condemnation from top government ministers.
Severe Backlash From Union Ministers
The comments triggered immediate and coordinated fire from senior BJP leaders, who characterized Gandhi’s remarks as immature, indecent, and disrespectful toward a democratically elected leader.
“Rahul Gandhi, when will you grow up? Running India requires mature leadership, not amateur dramatics. Calling a democratically elected government ‘jokers and clowns’ proves you are out of your depth,” stated Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi. He added that attacking the Prime Minister directly insults the mandate of the Indian electorate.
Key figures across the ruling party echoed similar concerns:
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Union Minister Giriraj Singh heavily criticized Gandhi’s conduct, calling it “mentally frustrated” and stating that his behavior crossed all boundaries of political decency.
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BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj highlighted the responsibilities of the opposition, stating that the nation expects a constructive opposition rather than leaders resorting to cheap rhetoric aimed at social media traction.
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Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar condemned the remarks as a “new low in public discourse,” specifically calling out the derogatory references directed at Prime Minister Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
The row underlines intensifying friction between the government and the opposition, with the BJP maintaining that the Leader of the Opposition must uphold constitutional decorum in public debate.
