New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday linked the release of a purported photograph showing Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Mumbai, and asked the BJP and RSS to explain whom the United States was allegedly “blackmailing”.
In a post on X, Gandhi wrote: “Rubio goes to Mumbai. The US DOJ releases a picture of Epstein and Puri. Dear BJP and RSS workers, which anti-national traitor do you think they’re blackmailing?”
His remarks came after the image surfaced from files released by the US Department of Justice, prompting opposition parties to demand a clarification from the Centre and from Puri.
Opposition Demands Clarification
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal directed his criticism at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the government had known about Puri’s contacts with Epstein but failed to respond,
as reported by Times Now.
“Modi did nothing despite knowing full well about Hardeep Puri’s close ties with known international pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Truly disgusted by the latest revelations proving that Puri met Epstein in the same rooms where Epstein carried out his heinous crimes,” he wrote on X.
Venugopal further said the Prime Minister’s silence raised serious questions about the government’s attitude towards allegations involving a Cabinet colleague.
“Modi-Shah’s complete silence and inaction on this only points to their criminal indifference to such allegations against their own Cabinet Minister. What can women expect from a Government that shields and nurtures a man with close ties to the worst sexual predator known to human civilisation?” he said.
He also connected the issue to India-US trade talks, arguing that the Prime Minister needed to explain whether the development could influence negotiations. “There is also an urgent need for PM Modi to speak up on this issue, because US President Donald Trump has also declared that India and the US are extremely close to signing a trade deal,” Venugopal said. “Do these revelations have any bearing on the final contours of the deal? Given how lopsided the previous deal was, there is every chance that the Compromised PM will once again surrender India’s interests to shield himself and those close to him.”
Questions Over Timing
Congress leader Srinivas B V focused on the sequence of events surrounding Rubio’s visit. “Yesterday, the US Secretary of State landed in ‘Mumbai’, and right at that very moment, pictures of Hardeep “Epstein” Puri emerged from the US Justice Department’s files. Could there be some VIDEO coming out too to settle the technicalities of the US Trade Deal…?” he posted on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also sought an explanation from the Prime Minister. “Modiji, one minister, Hardeep Puri, is meeting Jeffrey Epstein alone? Whose message is he carrying in the meeting? This is the beginning. Watch ahead to see what’s about to happen. @RSSorg regime change will happen! Jai Hind!” he wrote.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra and Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate questioned Puri’s previous account of the meetings. “Didn’t Hardeep Puri say he had never met Epstein one-on-one?” Shrinate asked. Moitra wrote: “Epstein Paaji told us he only met Epstein as part of a delegation 3-4 times. Guess the other delegates were hiding under the table in these 2 photos, Paaji.”
Puri’s Earlier Defence
Puri had rejected the allegations in February, saying PM Modi had “no connection” with the Epstein files and describing the claims against the government as baseless. He said his interactions with Epstein occurred between 2009 and 2017, during his association with the International Peace Institute and its work on the United Nations.
“He told me your name is in interesting places. I had sent him a note clarifying that between 2009, when I went to New York, and 2017, I met Epstein a total of 4 times. Four times in 9 years, I was a member of the IPI appointed to see if the UN is fit for purpose on its 75th anniversary. I had no independent meetings with Epstein. The allegations against Epstein are about sexual favour; they are about paedophilia, about other wrongdoings…I have nothing to do with that,” Puri had said.
