A political row erupted after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shared an in-flight video showing Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi reportedly traveling on a flight to Vietnam. The timing of the trip—coming amidst ongoing Opposition protests led by Gandhi—triggered sharp political barbs from the ruling party and a swift counter-response from the Congress.
1. The BJP’s Political Attack
-
In-Flight Video Post: The BJP posted a clip captured by a fellow traveler showing Rahul Gandhi inside an aircraft, accompanying it with a sarcastic caption on social media: “Too tired of spreading lies. Let me tour Vietnam for a while, who would get to know.”
-
Allegations of Political Inconsistency:
-
RP Singh (BJP Spokesperson): Claimed that Rahul Gandhi regularly leaves for extended overseas breaks following major political activities or Yatras.
-
Shazia Ilmi (BJP Leader): Termed the trip “tourism,” alleging that Gandhi lacks political stamina and uses domestic issues as an excuse before taking frequent breaks.
-
2. Congress’ Defense and Counter-Attack
-
Personal Freedom and Official Duties: Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit pushed back against the criticisms, arguing that foreign travel by the Leader of the Opposition is routinely politicized without merit.
-
Academic & International Engagement: Dikshit emphasized that Gandhi travels abroad to perform public and academic duties, such as delivering lectures at premier institutions (e.g., Yale University and in London) and taking media interviews.
-
Counter-Charge on Prime Minister’s Travel: Congress highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own foreign visits, alleging that the Prime Minister broke long-standing Parliamentary traditions by traveling abroad while the Lok Sabha was in session.
3. Background: The Political Pretext
The political spat coincides with intensified Opposition demonstrations over voter list revisions (SIR), where Gandhi has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Poll Panel and the ruling party have categorically denied accusations of voter list irregularities, accusing Gandhi of spreading misinformation to cover electoral losses.
