'Chhichhora': Devendra Fadnavis Tears Into Rahul Gandhi, Demands Apology Over PM Modi's 'Hug' Remark

News india 'Chhichhora': Devendra Fadnavis Tears Into Rahul Gandhi, Demands Apology Over PM Modi's 'Hug' RemarkLast Updated:August 14, 2026, 17:18 ISTFadnavis slammed Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy, calling the Congress leader a "chichora."Rapid ReadSummarized by AI.+Got Question about the News?Devendra Fadnavis on Friday slammed Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on PM Modi's foreign policy. (PTI file photo)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday slammed the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy, calling the Congress leader a “chichora" and demanding an apology from him and Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.Fadnavis was reacting to an incident at the Rachnatmak Congress national convention on Thursday, where Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at PM Modi’s diplomatic style by referring to his tendency to hug foreign leaders.Recommended StoriesBRICS Summit 2026: Here Are The 5 Biggest Takeaways From The Historic New Delhi EditionUttarakhand’s Road Safety Crisis: 775 Killed In Accidents In First 7 Months This YearAdult Film Star, Audi & Arms: Viral Video Raises Fresh Questions Over Odisha's Rourkela Circuit HouseWoman Dies Nearly Six Months After Love Marriage, Husband Held Over Rs 30 Lakh & SUV Dowry DemandVIDEO | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, “Rahul Gandhi and Sandeep Dikshit must apologise to the nation. India has never seen such a ‘chichora’ leader before. They have not only insulted PM Modi but also the Prime Minister of Italy," while commenting on Rahul Gandhi’s act… pic.twitter.com/SB5BAPdk4s— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 14, 2026“Rahul Gandhi and Sandeep Dikshit must apologise to the nation. India has never seen such a ‘Chhichhora’ leader before. They have not only insulted PM Modi but also the Prime Minister of Italy," Fadnavis said.Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Hug’ RemarkWhile criticising PM Modi’s foreign policy, Rahul Gandhi said he did not understand where the Prime Minister got the idea that diplomacy meant hugging foreign leaders.“I don’t know where he (PM Modi) got this idea from. Strange ideas get into people’s heads. He thinks this is foreign policy," Rahul said.He then hugged Sandeep Dikshit, prompting the Congress leader to jokingly ask, “You weren’t hugging me thinking I was Meloni?" Rahul responded, “I haven’t reached that stage yet," drawing laughter from the gathering. Rahul subsequently returned to his criticism of the Prime Minister.Polical Row After Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Hug’ JibeThe hug sparked a political controversy, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of making an “immature" remark, while the Congress defended him, pointing out that he had not mentioned Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by name.Earlier, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi also hit back at Rahul Gandhi, asking him to “grow up" and accusing him of insulting the people of India by targeting the Prime Minister. “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," Joshi said.Union Minister Giriraj Singh also stepped up his attack on the Congress leader, describing him as “mentally frustrated" and urging Sonia Gandhi to “get him help".“Rahul Gandhi appears to be mentally frustrated. His conduct has crossed all limits of decency. If Sonia Gandhi does not intervene and ensure that he receives appropriate help, the situation could become serious," the Minister said.News18 NewsletterHandpicked stories, in your inboxA newsletter with the best of our journalismQuick AnswersPowered byAsk News18Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy, stating, "I don’t know where he got this idea that foreign policy means hugging leaders". He made this remark during the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, where he also hugged fellow Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit to demonstrate his point.Powered byAsk News18About the AuthorManisha RoyManisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read MoreLocation : First Published:August 14, 2026, 17:18 ISTDisclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Loading comments...Read More