External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday countered claims made by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, who alleged that Jaishankar had traveled to the United States with the intention of securing an invitation for Donald Trump's inauguration. Jaishankar stated that such "falsified statements" ultimately harm India's "interests and reputation" abroad.
Jaishankar accused the Congress MP of "spreading falsehoods" about his visit to the United States in December last year.
Shortly after Rahul Gandhi’s sensational claim in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister took to X, where he refuted the Congress MP's statements and clarified the purpose of his US visit.
"Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi deliberately made a false statement about my visit to the US in December 2024. I went there to meet the Secretary of State and the NSA of the Biden administration, as well as to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. During my stay, the incoming NSA-designate met with me," Jaishankar wrote on X.
He further stated, "At no stage was an invitation for the Prime Minister discussed. It is common knowledge that our PM does not attend such events. In fact, India is generally represented by Special Envoys. Rahul Gandhi’s lies may be politically motivated, but they damage the nation abroad."
Earlier, while speaking in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi criticized the Modi government on several issues and claimed that India's "lobbying" for an invitation to Trump’s inauguration was unnecessary and uncalled for.
Participating in the debate over the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the EAM had visited the US "multiple times" to seek an invitation for the Prime Minister to Trump's inauguration event.
"When we talk about the United States, we shouldn’t send a foreign minister to secure an invitation for our Prime Minister to their coronation," Rahul said.
"If we had a strong industrial base, the American President would have come to invite our Prime Minister," he added.
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