Economy tanking, PM handing out toffees: Rahul Gandhi on Melody moment

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter’s viral "Melodi" moment with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, accusing him of indulging in "theatrics" while the country faces mounting economic challenges. The criticism came after PM Modi gifted Meloni a packet of Parle’s iconic "Melody" toffees during a meeting in Italy, playfully referencing the viral "Melodi" nickname coined by social media users to describe the perceived camaraderie between the two leaders. Read Full Story Reacting sharply to the viral exchange, Rahul Gandhi said, "An economic storm is looming over the country, and our Prime Minister is busy distributing toffees in Italy". "Farmers, youth, women, labourers, and small traders are all suffering, but the PM is smiling for reels, while BJP leaders clap along. This is not leadership, it is theatrics," he added. The Congress leader continued his attack on the Prime Minister while addressing an event in Amethi. He said that after asking people to fend for themselves against the economic fallout, the Prime Minister was busy sharing toffees with the Italian PM. "The BJP people make fun of me. Narendra Modi, in the last three months, failed to provide the protection you needed. He did not build the economic shield that should have been created for you. Instead, he is there eating toffees with Meloni ji and making videos, as if everything is a joke," Gandhi said. The remarks came as videos and photographs of the Modi-Meloni interaction dominated social media and international headlines on Wednesday. Thank you for the gift pic.twitter.com/7ePxbJwPbA— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 20, 2026 The light-hearted exchange took place in Rome during the final leg of PM Modi’s five-nation tour across Europe and the Middle East. In a video shared on X, Meloni was seen thanking Modi for the gift and joking about the toffee. “Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift... very, very good toffee,” Meloni said in the clip as both leaders laughed during the interaction. The video quickly went viral online. BJP HITS BACK AT RAHUL GANDHI BJP President Nitin Nabin countered Rahul Gandhi’s charges, alleging that the remarks reflected the Congress leader’s anarchist mindset and describing the statement as deeply regrettable. "Rahul Gandhi’s statement today is deeply unfortunate and, in a way, reveals his anarchic mindset. I believe that in the context of Indian politics where propriety and social harmony are intertwined with the mutual respect accorded to one another, his statement is truly regrettable," he said. The BJP leader continued his attack, saying he believed that Rahul Gandhi’s repeated electoral defeats and the frustration stemming from them were now reflecting in his temperament and conduct, adding that this sense of desperation and despondency was driving him to make such remarks. THE MELODI PHENOMENON The gesture directly referenced the "#Melodi" phenomenon, a portmanteau of Modi and Meloni’s surnames, which gained traction during previous global summits and was embraced by Meloni herself during the G7 Summit last year when she posted a selfie video captioned, "Hello from the Melodi team". The exchange capped an evening of candid engagements between the two leaders in Rome. Following an official dinner, Modi and Meloni were seen driving through the illuminated streets of the Italian capital before taking a late-evening walk near the historic Colosseum. Photographs widely circulated online showed PM Modi, dressed in a navy blue bandhgala suit, and Meloni, wearing a light pink embroidered outfit, engaged in discussions against the backdrop of Rome at sunset. On the diplomatic front, both leaders are expected to hold extensive bilateral discussions later on Wednesday. Both leaders will review progress under the India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan (2025-2029), with discussions focusing on trade, defence cooperation, clean energy, and the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Ends