The controversy surrounding Rahul Gandhi's recent trip to Vietnam has stirred a political debate, with critics questioning his decision to travel abroad so soon after the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
This has led to accusations of insensitivity, especially from BJP leaders, who argue that Gandhi's actions were in poor taste considering the national mourning that followed Singh’s passing.
Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, raised her concerns about Gandhi’s timing during an interview with the media.
She questioned why Gandhi had to take a foreign trip to celebrate the New Year at a time when the nation was mourning the death of a prominent leader, who had been an influential figure in his own party.
Mukherjee, speaking as a concerned citizen, expressed her dissatisfaction with the fact that Gandhi could not wait to travel, suggesting that the country would not have fallen apart if he had delayed his trip. She questioned the priority of celebrating the new year while the nation was in mourning.
Sharmistha’s remarks came after the BJP accused the Congress party of insensitivity. The controversy intensified when BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya highlighted Gandhi's Vietnam trip in relation to Singh’s demise, criticising him for politicising the situation.
Malviya’s tweet read, “While the country is mourning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year.”
He went on to accuse Gandhi of exploiting Singh’s death for political gain, a claim that Congress swiftly dismissed, labelling it as “diversion politics” by the BJP.
Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore took a jibe at Malviya, asserting that if Gandhi travelled privately, it should not be a matter of concern for others.
The issue deepened when Sharmistha Mukherjee pointed out the absence of Congress leaders at a significant moment following Manmohan Singh’s death.
She claimed that the day after Singh’s last rites, no Congress leader was present when his ashes were collected. Mukherjee, who had experienced personal condolences from party members after her own father’s death in 2020, felt that the Congress should have shown more solidarity with Singh’s family.
She asked why no Congress leader had attended the ash collection ritual, especially given that there were no Covid-19 restrictions at the time, unlike when her father passed away during the pandemic.
The criticisms of Gandhi’s actions and the BJP’s focus on his trip have drawn support from certain quarters within Congress.
Harish Rawat, a senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, defended Rahul Gandhi’s decision, asserting that the trip was an opportunity for Gandhi to study the economic policies and social systems of Vietnam, which he described as a model for developing nations.
Rawat believed that Gandhi’s visit was not for leisure but was aimed at gaining insights into Vietnam’s success in these areas.
Rawat also condemned the BJP for turning the situation into a political issue. He remarked that the BJP had no real agenda and that certain individuals within the party were dedicated to trolling Rahul Gandhi.
According to Rawat, the constant targeting of Gandhi was part of a wider strategy to undermine him.
The political drama over Rahul Gandhi’s Vietnam trip highlights the tense relationship between Congress and the BJP, with both parties using the incident to score political points.
While the BJP accuses Gandhi of disrespecting the national mourning for Singh, Congress defends his actions, pointing to the ongoing political distractions from the ruling party.
This disagreement has ignited a fresh political row, with both parties digging in their heels over what constitutes appropriate behaviour during times of national mourning.
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