The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday targeted Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his upcoming trip to Germany during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, labelling him the "leader of partying". The remark drew a sharp response from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who countered by highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent foreign visits.
Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Berlin from December 15 to 20, where he is expected to meet German government officials and interact with the Indian diaspora, according to the Indian Overseas Congress. The Winter Session of Parliament will conclude on December 19.
'Leader of Partying': BJP
"Once again Videsh Nayak is doing what he does best! Going for a foreign tour ! Parliament is on till 19th Dec but Reports suggest Rahul Gandhi to visit Germany from Dec 15-20! Rahul is LoP - leader of paryatan During Bihar elections too he was abroad & then in Jungle Safari," adding that Rahul Gandhi had similarly been away during the Bihar elections.
"During Bihar elections too he was abroad & then in Jungle Safari," Poonawalla's X post further read.
In another post on X, the BJP spokesperson called Rahul Gandhi, "leader of partying, leader of paryatan (tourism)."
He also criticised Congress leaders for resorting to "silly whataboutery" in defence and questioned Rahul Gandhi's agenda. "Bharat Badnami again? Where was he during the Bihar elections? Just another vacay. Normal people take vacations between work sessions—this man seems to work between two vacation sessions," he added.
Priyanka Gandhi, Congress leaders hit back
However, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra quickly responded to Poonawalla's comment, taking a swipe at PM Modi's frequent foreign trips. "Modi ji spends almost half of his working time outside the country. Why are they raising questions on the Leader of the Opposition's visit?" she told reporters outside Parliament.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also criticised the BJP spokesperson, remarking that whenever the BJP cannot respond to Rahul Gandhi's questions, they try to mislead people and undermine his reputation.
"The BJP and PM Modi do not have an answer to the question raised by Rahul Gandhi yesterday. Inside the House, the Leader of the Opposition raised a very important question about why the government changed the law regarding the deletion of CCTV footage, why the BJP government does not want to make the machine-readable voter list public- these are current issues. Democracy is in danger. When the BJP does not have an answer to Rahul Gandhi's questions, their only recourse is to confuse and tarnish his image. They will keep doing their work. Rahul Gandhi and Congress will continue to raise their voices for the protection of the Constitution and the security of the common man's vote," he said.
Rahul Gandhi's Berlin tour
The Indian Overseas Congress announced on social media that Rahul Gandhi will be on a Germany tour, where he will speak about India's global role and hold meetings with German lawmakers. He is also expected to interact with members of the Indian community in Germany, a plan confirmed by Vikram Duhan, General Secretary of the Indian Overseas Congress UK.
"We are honoured to welcome Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Member of Parliament, who will be engaging with the Indian diaspora in Berlin on December 17, 2025," the Indian Overseas Congress has said in a post on X.
The event will bring together all Presidents of the Indian Overseas Congress from across Europe, providing a unique platform to discuss key issues with Shri Rahul Gandhi, particularly on strengthening the Congress Party, NRI issues, and further exploring how the IOC can play a pivotal role in connecting more people to the party and spreading its ideology," it said.
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha will engage in dialogue on India's global role, while fostering the exchange of ideas and opportunities with German legislators and members of the Indian diaspora.
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