Rahul Gandhi, Sanjay Raut attack Modi over ‘Melody’ gift to Meloni; Sharad Pawar defends visit

PMs Giorgia Meloni and Narendra Modi in Rome on Wedneasday. PIC/PTI

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's visit to Italy and a light-hearted video of him gifting Melody toffees to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni has triggered sharp political reactions back home, with the Opposition using the moment to criticise the government over rising prices, unemployment and paper leaks.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, took a strong dig at PM Modi during a public meeting in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.

"The youth are falling into depression, NEET paper has been cancelled, petrol prices are rising, gas supplies are scarce, and inflation continues to soar; yet, the PM of India is busy eating ‘melody' with the PM of Italy, Giorgia Meloni. This is the actual state of the country," Gandhi said.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut also criticised the optics of the visit. Sharing a couplet, he suggested that the leadership was focused on optics while ignoring public concerns.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Spokesperson Anand Dubey said people expect the PM to return with positive developments, particularly on fuel prices and international peace efforts.

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stepped up the attack on the government on X, accusing the government of economic mismanagement.

Kharge attacks Modi: "Enjoy the ‘Melody' of speeches while surviving the ‘misery' of government's loot"

"Modi ji wants the public to enjoy the ‘melody' of speeches while surviving the ‘misery' of his government's loot," Kharge said.

He claimed that in the past 11 years, the average debt per Indian had increased 11-fold, while the wealth of 229 tycoons, along with 26 new billionaires, had crossed Rs 97.50 lakh crore. Kharge further stated that domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder prices had risen by 121 per cent since 2014, from Rs 414 to Rs 915.50, while commercial cylinder prices had gone up by nearly 154 per cent.

Pawar defends Modi's foreign engagements

Taking a contrasting view, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said political differences should not come in the way of recognising PM Modi's efforts to uphold India's prestige on the global stage.

"Political differences should not come in the way when it comes to protecting India's prestige, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to uphold the country's honour abroad," Pawar said at an event in Pune on Tuesday.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra also welcomed the Modi-Meloni meeting, saying both countries share democratic and cultural values. He described the visit as significant amid global instability and expressed hope that it would strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha said it would not be appropriate to comment while PM Modi is on a foreign trip, adding that the focus should remain on the outcomes of the diplomatic engagement.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain described the visit as successful and said India and Italy enjoy strong bilateral relations.

The political reactions come after a video of PM Modi gifting Melody toffees to Giorgia Meloni during their meeting in Rome went viral, with the Italian leader posting it on social media. The moment has been widely shared online, reviving the ‘Melodi' trend.

(With PTI, IANS, and ANI inputs)