New Delhi: The BJP has questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming visit to the United States, asking whether he is going abroad to speak with students or to meet “anti-India forces.” The party repeated its allegation that Gandhi uses foreign visits to criticise India and damage its image.
Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda said Gandhi will take part in two fireside chats during the trip. The first will be held at Columbia University on November 17, and the second at the University of Chicago on November 18.
Speaking to reporters at the BJP headquarters, party spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Gandhi’s foreign trips were no longer unusual. “Look, this is no longer a new thing. He should go and tell if he is interacting with the students or interacting with anti-India forces,” Trivedi said.
The BJP has often accused Gandhi of making remarks against India while abroad. It has also alleged that he spends more time travelling overseas than campaigning in states going to the polls. The party further claimed that Gandhi makes “baseless” allegations of “vote chori” whenever the Congress loses elections.
Trivedi said that, except during the Covid period, Gandhi had never stayed in India for 25 weeks in a row without travelling abroad. He also compared Gandhi’s US visit to the campaign work of BJP leaders, saying party president Nitin Nabin had recently visited Uttar Pradesh and Amit Shah had spent several days in Punjab, as reported by The New Indian Express.
“I have a question for the person who has been raising the ‘vote chori’ slogan. Our national president Nitin Nabin recently visited Uttar Pradesh. Amit Shah spent several days in Punjab. But Rahul Gandhi, after a trip to Vietnam, is now heading to America,” Trivedi added.
Congress Defends Itinerary
Pitroda said Gandhi’s US visit was planned much earlier and mainly includes two engagements. He said the Columbia University event will focus on the rise of student movements across the world, their effect on democracy, and issues such as education, jobs, the economy and the environment.
“One is a fireside chat at Columbia University (on 17th) mainly on the global rise of the student movement, what it means, how it is seen in India, the impact on democracy, their demands on education, employment, economy and environment,” Pitroda said.
The second event, at the University of Chicago, will be a discussion on geopolitics and global affairs with Professor Robert Pape. Pitroda said Pape is known for his views on the Middle East and the Iran war.
“And the second one on the 18th November is at University of Chicago with a very distinguished professor, Dr (Robert) Pape, who is very well known in the geopolitics area. He has a unique view on the Middle East, the Iran war and all that. So the second conversation would be more on geopolitics and global affairs,” the Indian Overseas Congress chief said.
Rejecting the BJP’s allegation that Gandhi defames India abroad, Pitroda called the charge “bogus.” He made it clear that the issue is not about targeting anyone, but about speaking the truth and presenting facts as they are.
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