New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi And Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul GandhiThey exchanged pleasantries and had a brief conversation at an event on Saturday, which is rare in the otherwise cold and indifferent equation between them. It is not often that Rahul often joins ministers and senior officials like Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to greet the PM at memorial events held in the Parliament complex, but on Saturday he did so at an event to pay tribute to reformer Jyotirao Phule. As he accepted everyone’s greetings, Modi was seen asking Rahul something and then the two talked for some time while waiting for Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and President Draupadi Murmu. The exchange went viral on social media and sparked interest in political circles. There were suggestions that Modi inquired about the health of Rahul’s mother Sonia Gandhi, who was recently admitted to hospital. However, there was no official statement on what conversation took place between them. Rahul has not often attended such events in the past and the BJP has often accused him of not giving due respect to state programs and high dignitaries. In turn, the Congress has also often alleged that the government does not accept the protocol because of the LOP. Not surprisingly, the pleasantries between Modi and Rahul created a stir. The government has announced a two-year program to commemorate Phule’s 200th birth anniversary next year. To oversee the nationwide commemorations running from 11 April 2026 to 11 April 2028, the government has constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the PM.