Rahul’s Vietnam trip amid national mourning gives BJP fresh ammo

The BJP on Monday launched a scathing attack on Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he had flown to Vietnam to usher in the New Year when the entire nation was mourning ex-PM Manmohan Singh’s demise.

Hitting back, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said why should the BJP be concerned about Rahul’s private travel.

“Rahul has flown abroad to bring in the New Year even as the nation observes seven- day mourning. The Congress doesn’t care for Manmohan Singh. It abused and insulted him during his lifetime, and continues to do so even now. Nobody went to collect his ashes. The Congress even denied Bharat Ratna to Manmohan Singh as per the latest disclosures. This is its true face,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X.

BJP social media head Amit Malviya also targeted the Congress in a post on X, “While the country is mourning the former PM’s demise, Rahul has flown to Vietnam. Rahul politicised and exploited Singh’s death for his expedient politics but his contempt for him is unmissable.”

In response, Tagore said in a post on X: “When will the Sanghis stop this diversionary politics? The way Modi denied Dr Saheb a place for the cremation on the Yamuna banks and how his ministers cornered Dr Saheb’s family is shameful. If Mr Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you?”