A political storm erupted on Wednesday after Bharatiya Janata Party leader and national spokesperson Sambit Patra levelled serious allegations regarding Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's foreign travel expenses. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Patra claimed that Gandhi has undertaken 54 foreign trips over the last 22 years and spent nearly Rs 60 crore, which he said is five times more than Gandhi's earnings during the same period.
Patra asserted that Gandhi has held an elected position for over two decades and travelled to several countries multiple times. He questioned why the expenditure on these trips has not been made public, even though the travels themselves are officially recorded. He added that Gandhi was usually accompanied by three to four individuals on every foreign visit.
'How did Rahul Gandhi spend five times his income?'
During the media briefing, Patra questioned the financial source behind the travel spending. "We have the details of Rahul Gandhi's income from 2013-14 to 2022-23. In these ten years, his income was around Rs 11 crore. How did he manage to spend Rs 60 crore on foreign trips? Who is funding him? If any foreign company has financed these trips, did he follow the required regulations?" he asked. Patra also highlighted what he described as discrepancies between Gandhi's declared income and the amount allegedly spent on international travel. He said the gap raises concerns about transparency and compliance with Indian laws.
Year-wise income and expenditure details
Patra also presented figures he claimed outline the mismatch in Gandhi's earnings and travel expenditure over different years.
- In 2014-15, Gandhi reportedly spent Rs 4.5 crore on foreign travel.
- In 2017-18, he earned Rs 1.20 crore but allegedly spent Rs 6 crore on travel.
- In 2019-20, he earned Rs 1.39 crore and spent Rs 4.6 crore on international visits.
- In 2018-19, his income was Rs 1.22 crore, while expenditure on foreign tours stood at Rs 3.9 crore.
- In 2021-22, Gandhi earned Rs 1.03 crore and reportedly spent Rs 2.6 crore on foreign travel.
Patra said these numbers raise important questions about financial propriety and accountability.
Rahul Gandhi's wealth growth over two decades
The BJP leader also referred to Gandhi's election affidavit details. He stated that when Rahul Gandhi contested his first Lok Sabha election in 2004, his declared assets were Rs 55.58 lakh. In his latest affidavit filed for the 2024 elections, his assets were listed at around Rs 21 crore. Patra implied that this steep rise demands greater explanation and public scrutiny.
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