Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday declined to comment on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s reported foreign trip amid protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying he was “not a travel agent”.
Tharoor made the remarks in Thiruvananthapuram when reporters asked why Gandhi had travelled abroad while the Opposition was protesting in New Delhi against Kumar and alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
“I am not a travel agent. There is no point in asking me that question. Why did I leave Delhi and come here now? Every person has certain responsibilities. So, I cannot comment on that,” Tharoor said.
His remarks came after the BJP criticised Gandhi over his reported foreign trip, accusing the Congress leader of taking a break after participating in protests against the Chief Election Commissioner.
The BJP shared a purported video on X showing Gandhi seated inside a business-class flight cabin, with a caption mocking his alleged travel plans. “I’m tired of spreading lies… Let me go roam around Vietnam for a few days… Who would even find out?” the party said.
BJP accused Gandhi of repeatedly travelling abroad after participating in political campaigns. “After undertaking a yatra in Bihar, he went abroad on a holiday for two months,” said a BJP spokesperson, suggesting that the latest trip followed a similar pattern.
The INDIA bloc has been demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls and organised a series of protests in recent days. Gandhi was at the forefront of the demonstrations and marches in Delhi, during which he and several other opposition leaders were detained on multiple occasions.
The reported trip comes after Gandhi’s participation in the Congress’s Goa Rakhonn Yatra in the poll-bound state. According to reports, he is expected to be away for four days.
The Opposition said the protests had been put on hold in view of the festive season.
The Congress dismissed the BJP’s criticism, questioning why Gandhi’s absence for a few days had become a controversy.
“He is merely stepping away for two or three days; what is the problem with that? The INDIA bloc will stage a massive protest against Gyanesh Kumar on November 1,” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal told a news channel.
(With inputs from PTI)