“You May Call Me Pappu, I Don’t Hate You”: Rahul Gandhi Hug Startles PM
NEW DELHI:
“You may call me Pappu, but I don’t hate you,” Rahul Gandhi said, looking directly at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then walking across to embrace him. It may not have been the “earthquake” he had promised once, but the Congress president’s jaw-dropping gesture during the no-confidence motion debate in parliament came close to it, many lawmakers said. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not approve and admonished Rahul Gandhi.
In his sharpest attack on the Prime Minister on subjects ranging from the Rafale deal to GST (Goods and Services Tax), demonetisation and foreign policy, Rahul Gandhi had said repeatedly: “You can’t look me in the eye.” The PM, sitting directly across, smiled. Then came the twist.
“You can abuse me, you can call me Pappu, but I don’t have a speck of hatred against you. I will take out this hatred out of you and turn it into love. I am the Congress,” said Mr Gandhi, making an astonishing reference to the pejorative rivals use for him.
He left his seat, strode across the floor and wrapped his arms awkwardly around the prime minister, who looked startled. Known for his bear-hugs for world leaders, PM Modi froze in his seat.
As the Congress chief started walking away, the PM recovered and grabbed his sleeve. He was seen saying something into Mr Gandhi’s ear and patting him.
Rahul Gandhi ended his sharpest ever attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha with a hug
Back in his seat, the 47-year-old was seen winking at fellow Congress MPs.
Was he starting a “chipko” movement, Home Minister Rajnath Singh wondered later in the debate.
“There is some decorum of the house. (PM Modi) was sitting in the prime minister’s seat. I did not like it,” responded the Speaker, who had been seen grinning throughout the Rahul Gandhi-PM Modi insta moment. “Such conduct is against the rules of the House,” she said.
Sonia Gandhi told NDTV she was “very happy” with son Rahul’s performance and “I am happy the media is changing too.”
Lawmakers across the house cheered and thumped their desks wildly. Opposition members gave Mr Gandhi a standing ovation.
Congress leaders like Shashi Tharoor used the hashtag #BhukampAaGaya.
Along with some Congress MPs, even ruling party members were seen on their feet. An exception was minister Harsimrat Kaur of the Akali Dal, who said: “This is a house, not for Munnabhai’s pappi jhappi.”
