The Minister charged that the Congress leader’s remarks damaged the country’s reputation overseas.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar Monday refuted the claim that he was dispatched “three-four times to get an invite for Prime Minister” Narendra Modi, as reported by Rahul Gandhi in parliament, for Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president.
“Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition, purposefully misrepresented my December 2024 trip to the United States. I went to see the Biden Administration’s NSA and Secretary of State. to preside over a meeting of our Consuls General as well. The new NSA-designate met with me while I was there,” S Jaishankar wrote on X.
The Minister said, “At no point was an invitation regarding the PM discussed. It is well known that our PM does not attend such events. In fact, India is generally represented by Special Envoys.” The Minister accused the Congress leader of damaging the country’s reputation overseas with his remarks, saying, “Rahul Gandhi’s lies may be intended politically. But they damage the nation abroad.”
When Mr. Gandhi made the major accusation in response to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seated in the House.
“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 remarked.
The remark was fiercely criticised by BJP MPs led by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who stated that the opposition leader cannot make such unsupported claims related to the nation’s foreign policy.
“The Leader of the Opposition is not allowed to make such grave, unsupported claims. This relates to the two nations’ relationship. “He is making unsubstantiated claims regarding our Prime Minister’s invitation,” Mr. Rijiju stated.
“He ought to take accountability. He demanded evidence, saying, “If the Leader of the Opposition knows, he must tell the House who has told him that the Foreign Minister visited for this purpose.”
PM Modi congratulated his “dear friend on his historic second term” during a phone conversation with Trump last Monday. New Delhi is still dedicated to a “mutually beneficial and trusted partnership” with Washington, the prime minister emphasised.
On January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. As India’s delegate, External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar was present at the function.
