New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming Berlin visit has triggered a fresh political storm, with BJP MP Tejaswi Surya on Wednesday saying that Rahul Gandhi is a “non-resident Indian politician” who lives abroad more often than in India.
This comes as Gandhi is scheduled to attend a major Indian Overseas Congress event in Berlin on December 17, where he will meet IOC leaders from across Europe.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, BJP MP Tejaswi Surya said, “Rahul Gandhi is a non-resident Indian politician. He lives abroad more than he does in India. His mind is abroad, but he is forced to do politics here.”
“In the middle of a Parliament session, it is impossible for an ordinary MP to go abroad on leave. But even after becoming the LoP, Rahul Gandhiji shows the same lack of seriousness by taking a 5-6 day leave in the middle of the session. I think India deserves a resident Indian Leader of Opposition, someone who truly cares about this country and takes his job seriously,” he added.
“I hope that in the next term, when the Congress will again be in the Opposition, good sense will prevail and they will choose a better LoP,” he further said.
Tejaswi Surya also reacted to the Opposition's allegations of 'vote theft' and said, “There are allegations of vote theft, we have trashed them, and even the Supreme Court has dismissed them. The public in Bihar has also rejected these claims. If Rahul Gandhi has any evidence of vote or election fraud, why doesn’t he approach the court?”
“After elections, there are legal provisions under which you can file complaints in any court. I have not heard of the Congress filing any election petition after the Bihar elections. Shouting in Parliament, holding press conferences and spreading lies will not bring reforms. Your seriousness on these issues is reflected in your foreign trips. As the LoP, you are bunking Parliament when the House is in session. I think even schoolchildren who are uninterested in studies maintain better attendance than Rahul Gandhi in Parliament,” he added.
A day after accusing the Election Commission (EC) of “colluding” with the ruling party to “destroy Indian democracy” in his Lok Sabha speech, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday again alleged that the BJP was turning the ECI into a tool for “vote chori”.
--IANS
jk/dpb