Rahul Gandhi spending more time abroad than in his parliamentary constituency, BJP taunts

New Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday claimed that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is spending more time in Vietnam than in his parliamentary constituencies and he should explain his extraordinary fondness for the South East Asian country. “Where is Rahul Gandhi? I have heard that he has gone to Vietnam,” BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference.

He attacked the Karnataka government over its decision to give four per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts. Prasad said Gandhi was in the South East Asian country even during the New Year and spent about 22 days there. “He does not spend many days in his constituency. What is the reason for his sudden love for Vietnam?” the BJP leader asked.

He said Gandhi is the leader of the opposition and should be available in India. Prasad said, “Rahul Gandhi should explain his extraordinary affection for Vietnam. His repeated visits to that country are very surprising.” The BJP has long been targeting Gandhi’s foreign trips. The ruling party has tried to portray him as a non-serious leader who is unfit for the nuances of domestic politics.

The Congress has accused the BJP of politicising his personal visit. The party argued that as an individual he has the right to travel abroad. Gandhi’s visit to Vietnam after the death of former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh on December 26 last year was criticized by the BJP. BJP IT chief Amit Malviya had then said that while the country was mourning Singh’s death, Rahul Gandhi had gone to Vietnam to celebrate New Year.