New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over an alleged trip to Vietnam, accusing him of leaving the country while the Opposition continues its protests against alleged irregularities in voter lists.
The BJP shared an in flight video on social media on October 19, purportedly showing Gandhi travelling to Vietnam. Taking a sarcastic swipe at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the party suggested that he had taken a break after participating in political protests.
“Too tired of spreading lies. Let me tour Vietnam for a while, who would get to know,” the BJP posted on X in Hindi, mocking Gandhi over his alleged travel plans.
BJP leaders also criticised Gandhi’s foreign visits, claiming that he frequently takes breaks from political activities. The party argued that his alleged departure came shortly after his involvement in the Opposition’s campaign over voter list revision.
BJP spokesperson RP Singh questioned Gandhi’s travel habits, alleging that he had previously spent an extended period abroad after campaigning in Bihar. He also suggested that the Congress leader might have visited Vietnam during that period.
BJP leader Shazia Ilmi similarly accused Gandhi of avoiding sustained political work, claiming that his latest alleged trip reflected a pattern of frequent holidays.
The Congress rejected the BJP’s criticism, arguing that Gandhi’s foreign travel should not become a political controversy. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that Gandhi has responsibilities as Leader of the Opposition and uses his overseas visits to interact with students, intellectuals and international audiences.
Dikshit also questioned the BJP’s position by referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits during parliamentary sessions. He argued that the BJP should explain why Gandhi’s travel attracted criticism while the Prime Minister’s overseas engagements did not invite similar objections.
Gandhi has been leading the Opposition’s campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding his resignation. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations of irregularities in the voter list revision exercise.
