New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) Amid the political controversy over invitations to the state banquet hosted for Russian President Vladimir Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Minister and BJP state President Dilip Jaiswal launched a sharp attack on the Congress leadership, contrasting the diplomatic credentials of MP Shashi Tharoor with those of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Responding to criticism from Congress over the selective invitations, Jaiswal said Shashi Tharoor’s inclusion was appropriate given his professional background and global experience. “Shashi Tharoor is a skilled diplomat and an intelligent, knowledgeable person. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, criticises the country despite benefiting from it. People like him do not need to be part of diplomacy,” he told IANS.

Jaiswal further escalated his criticism, taking aim at Gandhi’s recent comments suggesting the Modi government violated tradition by not inviting Opposition leaders to meet the visiting Russian President.

He said Gandhi’s claims were politically motivated and detached from ground reality. “Rahul Gandhi should know that the Constitution is not under threat; it is his Congress party that is in danger. The Congress ship is sinking, and Rahul Gandhi should focus on saving his party. India’s democracy and constitutional system are very strong, so instead of creating drama, he should worry about his own party…” the BJP leader said.

The row erupted after it emerged that Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge — Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively — were not invited to the official banquet on Friday evening. In contrast, senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, a former diplomat and ex-UN Under-Secretary-General, did receive an invitation, and he attended the banquet.

This development came just a day after Rahul Gandhi publicly accused the Modi government of breaking “tradition” and displaying “insecurity” by preventing him and other Opposition representatives from interacting with President Vladimir Putin.

Putin was on a two-day visit to India for annual summit discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, covering defence cooperation, energy ties, and regional security.

The diplomatic exchange has been overshadowed by the political sparring over the guest list, with the ruling BJP asserting that the government’s institutional processes remain intact and accusing Congress of attempting to manufacture controversy.

–IANS

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