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Ravi Shankar Prasad quipped Gandhi and said that the latter needs to explain his ”extraordinary fondness” for Vietnam. The party further pointed out that such undisclosed trips are unbecoming of the LoP and raised concerns about “national security”.
Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (File)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday took a sharp dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent reported visit to Vietnam without public disclosure, saying that the Lok Sabha LoP is spending more time in Vietnam than his constituency.
While addressing a press conference, former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quipped Gandhi and said that the latter needs to explain his “extraordinary fondness” for Vietnam. The party further pointed out that such undisclosed trips are unbecoming of the LoP and raised concerns about “national security”.
“One heard Rahul Gandhi was in Vietnam during Holi after being there during the New Year as well. He is spending more time in Vietnam than in his constituency. What is the reason of his so much love for Vietnam suddenly. He needs to explain his extraordinary fondness for Vietnam. The frequency of his visit to that country is very curious,” he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
“Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition and should be available in India”, Prasad added.
Gandhi’s foreign trips have long been a source of BJP’s political attacks on him as the ruling party has sought to paint him as a unserious politician unfit for the cut and thrust of domestic politics.
Additionally, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also questioned the grand-old-party to clarify the issue as the details of Gandhi’s frequent foreign travels are neither disclosed to Parliament nor made public.
“As the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi holds a crucial position, and his numerous clandestine trips abroad — especially while Parliament is in session — raise serious questions about propriety and national security,” he said in a post on X.
It is important that the Congress clarifies Rahul Gandhi’s frequent foreign travels, the details of which are neither disclosed to Parliament nor made public. Udit Raj, a senior party spokesperson, confirms his latest trip but only speculates on the reasons. As the Leader of the… https://t.co/2MjN0cPAmq— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 15, 2025
Meanwhile, the Congress has accused the BJP of politicising his private visits, and has said that Gandhi as an individual has a right to travel abroad.
Gandhi’s recent trip to Vietnam comes amid the ongoing Budget session in Parliament.
Earlier, he left for the country during the seven-day mourning period following the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 26 last year. This visit also drew criticism with the BJP saying that while the country was mourning Singh’s demise, Gandhi had flown to Vietnam to ring in the new year.
The BJP had further accused the LoP of using Singh’s death for “expedient politics” while choosing to be away during the mourning period.
