New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday refused to comment on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s overseas visit, which comes while opposition protests are going on in Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“I am not a travel agent. There is no point in asking me that question,” Tharoor said when reporters asked about Gandhi’s travel plans. He added that every person has certain responsibilities and said he could not comment on the matter.
BJP Steps Up Attack
Tharoor’s remarks came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) increased its criticism of Gandhi over his alleged foreign trip. The party shared a video on X that allegedly shows Gandhi on a flight to Vietnam. Its post said he was “too tired of spreading lies” and wanted to tour Vietnam for a while.
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also mocked Gandhi, saying he needed a break after his activities during the protests. Hussain listed several things he accused Gandhi of doing, including going to a police station, sitting inside All India Radio, lying down on the road to get photographs clicked, pushing police personnel and knocking a journalist to the ground. “He works so hard that he gets exhausted,” Hussain said, in a sarcastic remark.
Congress Defends the Trip
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit defended Gandhi’s right to travel abroad. “Who travels where and when… what is the issue?” he asked. He said Gandhi is an individual as well as the Leader of the Opposition and has his own duties. According to Dikshit, Gandhi talks to students at Yale University, meets students in London, engages with intellectuals and gives press interviews, something he said the Prime Minister does not do.
Dikshit also pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits. He said there is a tradition that the Prime Minister does not travel abroad while the Lok Sabha is in session, and claimed Modi had broken it. “Why does no question arise at that time?” he asked.
What Is the SIR Row About?
The protests are linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Electoral rolls are the official lists of people who are eligible to vote, and an SIR is a detailed review meant to update and clean up those lists. The opposition alleges irregularities in the exercise.
Gandhi has been leading the opposition campaign against Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR and is demanding his resignation. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected the allegations of irregularities. They have accused Gandhi of “spreading lies.”
Where Things Stand
The video shared by the BJP is described as “purportedly” showing Gandhi on a flight, and the Congress has not been quoted confirming the details of his trip. Tharoor’s refusal to comment also leaves open questions about the purpose and length of the visit.
For now, the two sides are sharply divided. The BJP says Gandhi has left at a time when his party is protesting. Congress leaders say the criticism is unfair and point to similar travel by the Prime Minister.
