Rahul Gandhi is in Nepal to attend a friend's wedding, the Congress said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Nepal for a friend's wedding triggered a barrage of tweets from the BJP and its supporters on Tuesday, many of them taking shots at the politician for attending a party while being critical of the government on social media.
The Congress, however, hit back, saying it was not yet a crime to visit a friendly nation to attend a friend's wedding, and it was much less egregious than Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a surprise visit to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter's wedding in 2015.
"Rahul Gandhi hasn't gone to Pakistan as an uninvited guest like PM Modi to cut a cake with Nawaz Sharif, and we know what happens in Pathankot," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said at a news briefing.
"Rahul Gandhi has gone to Nepal, a friendly country, to attend a journalist's wedding. There is nothing wrong. It's a matter of our culture. It's not a crime. Maybe PM and BJP will soon decide it's a crime to participate in weddings of friends and family members," he added.
He was responding to tweets by BJP leaders like Amit Malviya who posted a video of Rahul Gandhi in Nepal.
Rahul Gandhi was at a nightclub when Mumbai was under seize. He is at a nightclub at a time when his party is exploding. He is consistent.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 3, 2022
Interestingly, soon after the Congress refused to outsource their presidency, hit jobs have begun on their Prime Ministerial candidate... pic.twitter.com/dW9t07YkzC
The BJP leader and Bihar Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain took a jibe at Mr Gandhi, saying "he's busy in parties than running his own political party".
"Nothing can stop Rahul Gandhi from doing parties. He is more involved in parties, rather than running his own party. We work for our political parties, but he attends parties," Mr Hussain said.
Some tweeted in his support as well, saying Mr Gandhi was entitled to his private time.
What is wrong in it when he attends a marriage reception? Why Sanghi's are afraid about him ? Why Sanghi's are spreading lies ? Everyone of us attend private functions.
— Manickam Tagore .B????????✋மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) May 3, 2022
Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kathmandu on Monday accompanied by three others, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday, quoting two security sources.
The Congress MP is in Kathmandu to attend the wedding of his Nepali friend Sumnima Udas, a former CNN journalist and now the Executive Director of The Lumbini Museum.
The wedding is planned for Tuesday and a reception will be held Thursday, the newspaper reported.
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