External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of deliberately speaking falsehood about his recent visit to the US.
Gandhi, who is the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, had said that Jaishankar was sent to the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President to ensure a US invite for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dismissing the allegations, Jaishankar said the Congress leader’s “lies” damage India’s image at the international level.
“Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi deliberately spoke a falsehood about my visit to the US in December 2024. I went to meet the Secretary of State and NSA of the Biden Administration. Also to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. During my stay, the incoming NSA-designate met with me,” the minister wrote on X.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi deliberately spoke a falsehood about my visit to the US in December 2024.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 3, 2025
I went to meet the Secretary of State and NSA of the Biden Administration. Also to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. During my stay, the incoming NSA-designate met…
Asserting that at no stage of his visit, an invitation in respect of the prime minister was discussed, the EAM said it is common knowledge that the PM does not attend such events. “In fact, India is generally represented by Special Envoys,” he said.
“Rahul Gandhi’s lies may be intended politically. But they damage the nation abroad,” Jaishankar alleged in his post.
The Congress MP had made the allegation during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
"When we talk to the United States, we would not send the foreign minister three-four times to get an invite for our Prime Minister because if we had a production system and we were working on these technologies, the US president would come here and invite the Prime Minister," Gandhi had said.
The BJP hit back, saying the Leader of the Opposition cannot make such unsubstantiated statements as it is about the relationship between two countries.
“He is making unverified statements about the invitation of our Prime Minister. He should be responsible. If the Leader of the Opposition has the information, he must tell the House who has told him that the foreign minister visited for this purpose,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, adding that Gandhi should apologise for the remarks.
