New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul GandhiOn Saturday, at an event, they exchanged pleasantries and had a brief conversation, a rarity in their icy relationship. Rahul rarely joins ministers and senior officials such as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in greeting the prime minister at commemorative events at the Parliament House, but he did so on Saturday at an event to pay tribute to reformer Jyotirao Phule. As Modi greeted everyone, he seemed to ask Rahul something and the two then chatted for a while while waiting for Vice President Radhakrishnan and President Drupadi Murmu. The exchange went viral on social media and sparked interest in political circles. Modi was suggested to inquire about the health of Rahul’s mother Sonia Gandhi, who was recently hospitalized. However, there is no official word on what happened between them. Rahul has often been absent from such events in the past and has often been accused by the BJP of not taking due account of state events and senior dignitaries. Congress, in turn, often claims that the government is not adhering to the protocols laid out in the LoP. As expected, the pleasantries between Modi and Rahul created a stir. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Phule’s birth next year, the government has announced a two-year plan. To oversee the national observances from April 11, 2026 to April 11, 2028, the government established a high-level committee chaired by the Prime Minister.
