The upcoming visit to Germany of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has set off a new bout of political sparring with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mocking him as the “leader of Paryatan (tourism)”. Hitting back, the Congress wondered why the saffron camp is fussing over Rahul’s visit when Prime Minister Modi “spends almost half his working time abroad.”
Rahul Gandhi will visit Germany from 15 December to 20, during which he will engage with the Indian diaspora and meet German ministers, according to the Indian Overseas Congress.
Balwinder Singh, president of the Indian Overseas Congress, Germany, said Rahul Gandhi will be accompanied by Indian Overseas Congress Chairperson Sam Pitroda during the five-day trip
The BJP took a swipe at Gandhi, saying his designation as LoP stands for “leader of Paryatan (tourism)”. “Once again, Videsh Nayak is doing what he does best! Going for a foreign tour! Parliament is in session until Dec 19, but reports suggest that Rahul Gandhi will visit Germany from Dec 15-20. Rahul is LoP – leader of paryatan,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a post on X.
The visit takes place during the Winter Session of Parliament, which commenced on 1 December and will conclude on 19 December.
“During Bihar elections, too, he was abroad and then went to a jungle safari,” the BJP spokesperson said.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was among the Congress leaders to hit back at the BJP for its criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his visit. The Wayanad Member of Parliament asked why the BJP leaders were raising questions on the leader of the opposition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spends “almost half of his working time outside the country”.
“Modi ji spends almost half of his working time outside the country… Why are they raising questions on the leader of the opposition (in Lok Sabha) travelling?” she told reporters.
‘Sansad Chale Desh Mein’
The Congress also released a list of Prime Minister Modi’s overseas visits, claiming that they coincided with Parliament sessions and when the country was going through a crisis.
The list was captioned “Sansad Chale Desh Mein, Modi Chale Videsh Mein” on the Congress’s official X handle.
Congress spokesperson and head of social media department Supriya Shrinate said in a post that Narendra Modi has gone on 94 international trips and 85 per cent of his foreign tours are during Parliament sessions.
Listing out PM Modi’s foreign tours during Parliament sessions, she said, in August 2014 (Monsoon session), he went to Nepal on August 3-4, 2014. During March 2015 (Budget session), he went to Seychelles, Mauritius, Sri Lanka from March 10–14, 2015, and in the Winter session, he went to France from November 30-December 1.
Shrinate also said that during the Pulwama attack (February 2019), PM Modi kept shooting a documentary at Corbett despite learning of the attack in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14, 2019 and shortly after, he went to South Korea.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown (March 2020), he attended the Australia-India Business Forum in Sydney (February 22-24, 2020) despite the first case of COVID reported in India in January 2020.
The BJP responded by saying the opposition party should not compare the PM’s official visits to various countries with Rahul Gandhi’s meetings with “strange, unknown, invisible and suspicious individuals” during his personal visits abroad.
‘I want to ask the Congress about the real game’
There is a clear difference between the prime minister’s “official foreign visit on duty” and Rahul Gandhi’s “foreign visit on vacation”, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said.
“I want to ask the Congress about the real game. What actually happens during such foreign visits?” he asked.
BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha, at a press conference at the BJP headquarters, alleged that the itinerary of Rahul’s “official or unofficial” trips is not shared when he goes abroad.
Modi ji spends almost half of his working time outside the country… Why are they raising questions on the leader of opposition travelling?
Sinha said Rahul was the “leader of paryatan” (leader of tourism) and “leader of partying”. He does not appear to be the LoP the way he embarks on foreign visits by skipping “important occasions” in the country, Sinha charged, adding that the Congress leader should have been here during the Parliament session.
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