The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Indian National Congress (Congress) have engaged in a Twitter-Battle a day after Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Member of Parliament from Wayanad, was pictured attending a wedding in Kathmandu.
Potshots were fired from both sides as the BJP attacked Rahul Gandhi for attending a party in Kathmandu at a time when the Congress party is purportedly experiencing a major internal crisis.
The Congress had raised charges against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over “uninvited” international visits. Narendra Modi is in Europe for a three-day tour. He has already visited Germany and Denmark on the second part of his journey.
According to a story published Monday by the Kathmandu Post, the former Congress President was in Nepal to attend the wedding of his Nepali acquaintance Sumnima Udas, whose father served as Nepal’s Ambassador to Myanmar.
The publication said that the wedding will take place on Tuesday and a banquet would follow on Thursday.
On social media, BJP national officials and sympathizers accused the Congress MP of ‘partying’ while the Congress was criticizing the BJP-led India government.
The incidents came to light when Congress’ official Twitter account chastised the Prime Minister for visiting overseas at a period of upheaval in the country.
“The country is in danger, while Saheb (Prime Minister Modi) is enjoying himself overseas,” Official INC account tweeted.
To this end, the BJP tweeted on Tuesday a video of the Congress MP in what seemed to be a nightclub. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s information technology division, posted the footage and stated,
“Rahul Gandhi was in a nightclub during the seizure of Mumbai.”
He is in a nightclub in the height of his party’s euphoria. He is dependable. Surprisingly, shortly after the Congress rejected to outsource its presidency, hit jobs against its Prime Ministerial candidate began….”
In response to the BJP’s charges, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed Gandhi travelled to Nepal as an “uninvited guest,” in contrast to Prime Minister Modi, who travelled to Pakistan to “celebrate former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s birthday.”
“He has been to a friendly nation called Nepal… Perhaps after today, PM Modi and the BJP will declare that attending a wedding is unlawful. As far as I am aware, having a family in this country, making friends here, attending weddings and engagement ceremonies, and so on, are all part of our culture and civilization.
In this country, it is still legal to marry, be friends with, or attend someone’s wedding ceremonies. Perhaps after today, Prime Minister Modi and the BJP will determine that attending a marriage is unlawful,” Surjewala remarked during a news conference.
Manickam Tagore, the Congress Member of Parliament from Virundhunagar, also backed Gandhi. “Why’s there a big deal about him showing up to a wedding reception?” Why are the Sanghi’s terrified of him? Why are the Sanghis propagating lies? Each of us attends private events “He stated this on Twitter.
Only a few days earlier, poll strategist Prashant Kishore said that he will not work for the Congress party, citing the need for “leadership and collective resolve” to address the party’s “deeply seated structural flaws.”
Published By : Chittajallu H S Kumar
Edited By: Kiran Maharana
