New Delhi: He is known for hugs but this was one gesture prime minister Narendra Modi would not have seen coming.
After a no-holds barred and scathing criticism of Modi on several issues, including the Rafale jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi walked across to the PM and hugged him, a gesture which took the Lok Sabha members by surprise.
Modi, who initially looked nonplussed, recovered quickly, and called Gandhi and patted him on the back.
"This is what it means to be a Hindu," Gandhi said after coming back to his seat amid a big applause from his party members, including his mother Sonia Gandhi and other leaders present.
Sharply criticised for his reported remarks that 'Congress is a Muslim party,' Rahul Gandhi said, "Prime minister Modi, BJP and… have taught me what it means to be a Congress person, the meaning of being a real Indian, and what it means to be a real Hindu. For this, I thank them."
'You can call me Pappu'
He also said his opponents may hate him, call him 'Pappu' but he has no anger, hatred against the prime minister and the BJP. He went back to his seat, flashed a gleeful smile and winked.
This is likely the first time that an opposition leader has hugged the prime minister in the house, especially during a no-confidence motion. Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur stood up and took objection to Gandhi's hug.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also gently reminded Gandhi that this was the country's legislature and not a place for such gestures.
Interestingly, the Congress had in January put out a tweet along with a video mocking Modi for hugging world leaders while carrying the hashtag 'Hugplomacy' on its official Twitter handle.
The tweet came hours after Modi received Netanyahu at the airport, setting aside protocol, and embraced him as he deplaned.
NaMo's globetrotting hugs | In pictures
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