‘Non-resident Indian politician’: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Rahul Gandhi’s Germany visit

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over the latter’s upcoming Germany visit amid the winter session of Parliament, saying that Gandhi is a non-resident Indian politician and asserted that India deserves an opposition which takes its job seriously.

The BJP MP alleged that Rahul Gandhi spends more time abroad than in India, and expressed hope that Congress would select a more responsible Leader of the Opposition for the country.

“Rahul Gandhi ji is a non-resident Indian politician. India deserves an India resident Leader of the Opposition who really cares about this country and takes their job seriously. He stays abroad more than he stays in India. His heart lies abroad, but due to compulsions, he is doing politics here. Even for an MP, it is impossible to take leave during a Parliament session. But his travelling abroad in the middle of the ongoing Parliament session only shows his seriousness. I hope in the next term, Congress will choose a more responsible Leader of Opposition for the country,” Surya told reporters.

Earlier today, another BJP MP, Sanjay Jaiswal, took a jibe at Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi ahead of his Germany trip, saying that he would not give up the pleasure of going on foreign trips since his party was in the phase of extinction.

“Bihar elections were going on, and he (Rahul Gandhi) was roaming around somewhere; today too, he is going to Europe, but there’s nothing left in Congress now. Congress is in the phase of extinction, so why would he give up the pleasure of his foreign trips?” Jaiswal told ANI.

Additionally, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called Rahul Gandhi a “part-time” political leader. “Rahul Gandhi always spends most of his time abroad whenever Parliament is in session and later says that he doesn’t get a chance to speak. Even during the Bihar elections, he was abroad. He is a part-time, not serious political leader,” Joshi told reporters.

However, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi took a dig at the BJP for criticising Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming Germany visit amid the winter session of Parliament, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spends half of his working time outside the country.

“Modi spends almost half his working time outside the country. Why are they raising questions about the Leader of the Opposition travelling?” Gandhi told reporters.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Berlin, where he will attend a major Indian Overseas Congress event on December 17 and will meet IOC leaders from across Europe.

Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) has described the visit as a significant outreach initiative aimed at strengthening the party’s global engagement. The IOC announced that Rahul Gandhi will address the Indian diaspora in Berlin on December 17, where Presidents of IOC chapters across Europe will gather to discuss NRI issues, the Congress Party’s strengthening, and strategies to expand the party’s ideological reach. (ANI)