Rahul's gesture was not hug but jolt for PM: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi's hug to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "was not just a hug but a jolt".

Speaking to the media, Raut said, "Mujhe lagta hai ki Rahul Gandhi politics ke asli paathshala mein ja chuke hain. Jis tarah se Modi ji ko jadoo ki jhappi lagaayi, woh jhappi nahi thi jhatka tha (I feel Rahul Gandhi has entered the real school of politics. Rahul's hug was not just a hug, but a jolt for the Prime Minister)."

Rahul, earlier today walked up to the Prime Minister and hugged him after concluding his speech in Lok Sabha during the discussion on the no-confidence motion.

The Congress president's unexpected gesture left Parliamentarians surprised and also earned praise from his party leaders.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that Rahul showed the world how a "Jadu ki Jhappi can stop the winds of hatred".

"Nischhal prem ki jadoo ki ek jhappi nafrat ki aandhi ko kaise rok sakti hai yeh RahulGandhi ji ne dikhaya. Akhir Rahul ji ne Congress ke mohabbat ka aina Modi ji ko dikha hi diya: (Today Rahul Gandhi showed to the world how a magical and loving hug can stop the winds of hatred. Rahul Gandhi has shown the loving face of Congress to Narendra Modi)," Surjewala told ANI.

However, the gesture did not go down well with the BJP leaders who called it a "chipko andolan".

"Rahul Gandhi started chipko andolan in Lok Sabha," Home Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh said.