‘Rahul Gandhi is Lying About My US Visit,’ Jaishankar Slams Congress Leader’s Statement

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): During the discussion on the President's address in Parliament on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a statement that sparked a political controversy. Referring to the inauguration of former US President Donald Trump, Gandhi claimed that during Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar's overseas visits, he requests foreign governments to 'invite PM Modi.'

In response to this claim, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar refuted Gandhi’s statement, accusing him of lying about his visit to the US and harming India's image abroad. On the social media platform X, Jaishankar responded to the allegations regarding his invitation to Trump’s inauguration by writing, “Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi deliberately lied about my visit to the US in December 2024. I met with the US Secretary of State and NSA. I also chaired a meeting with our Consuls General. During my visit, the incoming NSA designate met with me. There was no discussion at any level about inviting the Prime Minister. It is well known that our Prime Minister does not participate in such events. In fact, India is usually represented by special envoys. Rahul Gandhi’s lies may be politically motivated but they harm the country abroad.”

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had commented in Parliament about foreign policy, stating that the government does not send its Foreign Minister to the US to invite the Prime Minister. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to this statement, saying that the opposition leader should refrain from making such remarks, especially when a serious discussion was ongoing. Rijiju also urged Gandhi to present concrete evidence if he had any specific information on the matter.