Guwahati: A political controversy has erupted over a light-hearted exchange at a Congress event, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party of crossing the limits of political decorum while referring to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The controversy followed Gandhi’s remarks at the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, where he criticised the Narendra Modi government’s approach to international relations. Gandhi argued that India’s foreign policy should be guided by the country’s interests rather than by personal relationships between political leaders and their foreign counterparts.
During the programme, Gandhi hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dixit while making a political point about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public interactions with foreign leaders. Dixit subsequently made a reference to Meloni, prompting laughter among people present at the event.
A video of the exchange later drew a sharp response from Sarma, who criticised the Congress leadership over the remarks. The Assam Chief Minister argued that comments involving a woman leader of a friendly foreign country should be treated with greater sensitivity and restraint.
Sarma accused the Congress of lowering the standard of political discourse and described the episode as inappropriate. He also questioned the reaction of people present at the venue, arguing that remarks concerning women should not become a subject of public amusement.
The Assam Chief Minister further linked the controversy to India’s diplomatic relations, suggesting that political criticism of the Narendra Modi government should not spill over into comments that could be perceived as disrespectful towards foreign leaders.
Sarma described the episode as “disgraceful” and “shameful” and maintained that political differences should be expressed without compromising basic standards of dignity and respect.
The controversy has added another layer to the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with foreign policy and the conduct of political leaders once again becoming subjects of debate.
The Congress has been using its criticism of the Modi government’s foreign policy to question what it describes as an excessive emphasis on personal diplomacy. Sarma, meanwhile, has focused his response on the nature of the remarks made during the Congress event and their potential implications for political and diplomatic discourse.
The incident is likely to fuel further political exchanges between the ruling BJP and Congress as both sides continue to clash over the government’s foreign policy and the conduct of political leaders.
