MEA stresses need for respect as Congress leader's Meloni jibe sparks row

India on Friday emphasised that it shares a strong relationship with Italy and underscored the importance of maintaining mutual respect in public discourse, a day after a Congress leader triggered a controversy with his political jibe at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this at his bi-weekly media briefing while responding to a question on Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of foreign policy and subsequent remarks by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.

"We have strong ties with Italy. Our ties with Italy in recent years have expanded and strengthened. It is important that as part of diplomatic practice that we strengthen our ties keeping in mind being respectful of each other," Jaiswal said.

In an address at an event on Thursday evening, Gandhi scoffed at Modi's handling of foreign policy which he claimed was all about hugging leaders.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also said it has somehow been ingrained in Modi's mind that foreign policy is all about hugging leaders.

Gandhi then hugged Dikshit in a bid to demonstrate what the current government's foreign policy was about.

"Imagine the ignorance... where did he get the idea that foreign policy was about hugging leaders," he said.

Dikshit then asked Gandhi, "Ek cheez pooch sakta hoon? Meloni samajh ke toh nahi pakda tha?"  Gandhi responded by saying, "I have not reached there yet."  The BJP has come down hard on Gandhi as well as Dikshit.