‘I'm not a travel agent’: Shashi Tharoor when asked about Rahul Gandhi's foreign trip

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday declined to comment on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s overseas visit amid protests in New Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying, “I am not a travel agent.”“I am not a travel agent. There is no point in asking me that question.

Why did I leave Delhi and come here now? Every person has certain responsibilities.

So, I cannot comment on that,” Tharoor said when asked about Rahul’s travel plans. Tharoor’s remarks came after the BJP stepped up its criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his alleged foreign trip amid opposition protests in Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The BJP shared a video on X purportedly showing the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition aboard a flight to Vietnam, saying, “Too tired of spreading lies. Let me tour Vietnam for a while, who would get to know.”BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also took a swipe at Gandhi, suggesting he needed a break after his activities during the protests.“Rahul ji was very tired.

Sometimes he went to a police station, sometimes he sat inside All India Radio, sometimes he lay down on the road to get his pictures clicked, sometimes he pushed and shoved police personnel, and sometimes he knocked a journalist to the ground. He works so hard that he gets exhausted,” Hussain said.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, however, defended Rahul’s right to travel abroad, questioning the BJP’s criticism.“Who travels where and when... what is the issue? Do others not travel abroad?

Rahul Gandhi is an individual and the leader of the opposition. He interacts with students at Yale University, meets students in London and engages with intellectuals there.

He even gives press interviews, something the Prime Minister does not do,” Dikshit said. He also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits during Parliament sessions, questioning why they had not drawn similar criticism.“We also have a tradition that the Prime Minister does not travel abroad when the Lok Sabha is in session.

But our PM broke that tradition. Why does no question arise at that time?” he asked.

Rahul has been leading the opposition’s campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise, demanding his resignation. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations of irregularities in the revision process, accusing Rahul of “spreading lies”.

Key quotes

• “I am not a travel agent.”

• “I am not a travel agent. There is no point in asking me that question. Why did I leave Delhi and come here now? Every person has certain responsibilities. So, I cannot comment on that,”

• “Too tired of spreading lies. Let me tour Vietnam for a while, who would get to know.”

• “We also have a tradition that the Prime Minister does not travel abroad when the Lok Sabha is in session. But our PM broke that tradition. Why does no question arise at that time?”