M for Melody, not mehngai: Congress jabs PM for gifting toffees to Italy's Meloni

New Delhi,UPDATED: May 21, 2026 07:12 IST

A day after a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifting a packet of the popular Indian candy Melody to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Rome went viral, the Congress on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Prime Minister, accusing him of being insensitive to the hardships faced by people in India amid rising inflation and the ongoing oil and gas crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict.

The chief Opposition party targeted PM Modi over the gesture, saying the Prime Minister appeared more focused on optics and public relations abroad while people back home were struggling with soaring prices of essential commodities and fuel.

Sharing a video on its X handle, the Congress mocked the Prime Minister with the slogan "M for Melody", saying the "M" did not stand for "Mehngai" (inflation), despite the growing burden on ordinary citizens.

"The people of the country are spending their lives in poverty. Modi is distributing 'Melody' in Italy," the Congress captioned the post.

The remarks came against the backdrop of concerns over global energy supplies following tensions in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes.

In the video, the party alleged that the country was facing a severe economic crisis while the Prime Minister was busy handing out candies overseas. It accused him of ignoring pressing domestic concerns such as inflation, unemployment and rising living costs.

"The nation is grappling with a severe economic crisis. What is the Prime Minister doing? He has become Santa Claus and is handing out toffees in Italy," the video said.

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