Hyderabad: A major political controversy has erupted over a viral video from the Congress party’s ‘Bharat Summit 2026’ in Hyderabad, showing Italian politician Giacomo Filibeck raising a slogan against the ruling government. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi of encouraging foreign interference in India’s internal democratic processes.
According to a report by ABP News, the viral footage shows Filibeck raising the Hindi slogan “Vote chor, gaddi chhod” (Vote thief, leave the throne). In the video, Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy are purportedly seen laughing and clapping in response to the Italian leader’s remarks.
The BJP swiftly condemned the incident. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju took to the social media platform X to express his strong disapproval. “Have you ever seen anyone laughing when India is insulted by a foreigner? I’m not asking about which Indian goes abroad to insult India,” Rijiju posted on Sunday.
BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari escalated the attack, alleging that Gandhi has become a “puppet of foreign powers” and billionaire investor George Soros. Bhandari claimed that the Congress leader is attempting to destabilise the nation and mobilise the international community to facilitate a regime change in India. Senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain echoed these sentiments, stating that no foreign national has the right to interfere in India’s domestic political affairs, terming the Congress’s actions as highly objectionable.
Prior to the BJP’s backlash, Filibeck had spoken to news agency ANI, alleging that Indian democracy is currently under attack. He stated that international conferences are crucial to draw attention to these challenges, adding that the best way to protect the country’s democratic framework is to stand in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.
Meanwhile, the Opposition rallied behind the Congress. Defending the Italian politician’s presence, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic interactions. “If Modi can give ‘Melodi’ chocolates to the Italian Prime Minister, an Italian politician can also come here and speak about this country,” Raut remarked. He asserted that raising concerns about human rights and democratic values does not equate to malicious foreign interference.
As the political slugfest intensifies, the Congress leadership has yet to issue an official response regarding the BJP’s specific allegations of foreign collusion.