A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party hit out at Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's alleged expenses on foreign trips, union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju has raised questions on the visit.
Rijiju urged Rahul to inform the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariat in advance of his visits, and further disclose the details if he has accepted any foreign hospitality.
“The matter of Rahul Gandhi's unannounced and announced foreign visits have raised a serious question. Every MP is required to inform the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat 3 weeks in advance for their foreign visit,” Rijiju said, adding that this was not for permission but for information purposes.
“MPs can travel abroad but information have to be given. If a particular MP is to accept the foreign hospitality, the expenditure to be borne by the agencies/organisations whoever invites the MP will have to come under the FCRA…” Rijiju told reporters, according to ANI news agency.
Rahul has to inform MHA under FCRA if he accepts foreign hospitality: Rijiju
{{/usCountry}}“MPs can travel abroad but information have to be given. If a particular MP is to accept the foreign hospitality, the expenditure to be borne by the agencies/organisations whoever invites the MP will have to come under the FCRA…” Rijiju told reporters, according to ANI news agency.
Rahul has to inform MHA under FCRA if he accepts foreign hospitality: Rijiju
{{/usCountry}}Union minister Rijiju further cited the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA), saying Rahul was required to inform the ministry of home affairs if he accepts any foreign hospitality.
He said the Congress leader has made 54 foreign trips since 2004, adding that the Lok Sabha should be informed of the travel plans in advance.
“Rahul Gandhi has been an MP since 2004 and there are reported 54 foreign trips. It is not limited to 54 trips but how many days he has stayed outside India and what are the expenditures he has incurred...” he said. “He has to inform the Lok Sabha Speaker 3 weeks before the proposed foreign visit and if he has to accept the foreign hospitality then he has to inform the MHA under FCRA,” Rijiju added.
He urged the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha to “specify” the details of his visits, including of those who had invited him and the “expenditures incurred in his name spent by the agencies/organisations outside India.”
Rijiju stated that “law is for everyone”, adding, “...If anything happens, if some actions are initiated, Govt should not be blamed for targeting Rahul Gandhi or a particular person.”
What did the BJP post say?
BJP's official X handle shared a post showing Rahul's alleged expenses over his foreign trips and highlighted alleged disproportionality between the expenses and Rahul's declared income.
“An estimated ₹60 crore was spent on 54 foreign trips between 2004-2026. However, his declared income is only ₹11 crore, which is 5 times less than the expenses,” the party's handle wrote. BJP leader Sambit Patra also raised questions on the matter in a press conference, claiming that Rahul had undertaken several foreign trips while holding elected office.
Patra alleged that details regarding the source of funding for these visits were not public. “On each of his foreign trips, about 3-4 people have travelled with him. The total expense of his foreign trips has been ₹60 crore,” the BJP leader said.
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta also took potshots at the Congress leader on his “mysterious foreign trips”, asking him to clarify “what the real source of funding for these tours is.”