Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 11: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent overseas trip, accusing him of neglecting political responsibilities and disparaging India in international forums. With Bihar Assembly elections just weeks away, the BJP questioned the timing and purpose of Gandhi’s foreign visit, labeling him “missing in action.”
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s National Information and Technology Department, took to social media platform X to slam the Congress MP, saying, “If Rahul Gandhi is done brewing coffee in Colombia and enjoying his vacation, he should return. Bihar elections are around the corner, and the Mahagathbandhan is staring at yet another defeat.”
Projecting confidence in a decisive victory for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar’s two-phase polls on November 6 and 11, Malviya remarked, “The Mahagathbandhan will lose, again. As always, the Congress will shift the blame instead of holding its absentee leader accountable.”
In a previous post on X dated October 4, Malviya criticized Gandhi for his remarks during a speech in Colombia, where the Congress leader suggested that India is not aiming to lead globally. Malviya posted a video clip of the speech and accused Gandhi of lacking ambition and diminishing India's international aspirations.
“At a time when India is asserting itself as a rising global power — with rapid economic growth, a strong international presence, and increasing opportunities for its citizens — Rahul Gandhi chooses to portray a hesitant and unambitious image of the country,” Malviya said.
He went on to accuse the Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family of fostering a defeatist mindset that has, in his view, historically held India back.
“This outlook has cost India dearly — from partition, territorial losses in Kashmir, the missed opportunity for a permanent UNSC seat, to over-reliance on imports and misplaced economic priorities,” Malviya asserted.
The controversy stems from Gandhi’s comments during an address at EIA University in Medellín, where he reportedly said, “India, I don’t think, has the intention to, one day, lead the world… We understand we are a large country and have weight, but we don’t see ourselves as leading.”
Malviya also took issue with Gandhi’s statement that “India doesn’t manufacture,” calling it misleading and unreflective of the country’s current manufacturing capabilities and industrial progress.
The BJP has consistently criticized Gandhi for making what it calls "anti-India" statements during his international visits, accusing him of portraying a negative image of the country on foreign soil.