Kiren Rijiju slams Rahul Gandhi over 54 foreign trips
New Delhi: Union Minister Dr Kiren Rijiju expressed serious concern about Rahul GandhiEvery MP must inform the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat three weeks before his foreign travel.“It’s not permission, it’s information. MPs can travel abroad but have to provide information,” Rijiju said.He also added that if an MP accepts foreign hospitality, the expenses borne by the inviting agency or organization must be covered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).Rijiju claimed that Rahul Gandhi, an MP since 2004, has made 54 foreign visits. “It is not limited to 54 trips but how many days he stayed outside India and what he spent,” he said.“Rahul Gandhi’s unannounced and announced foreign visits raise a serious question,” Rijiju said.He requested Gandhi and Dr Congress party Follow the rules and report the necessary information to the authorities. “He has to inform the Speaker of the Lok Sabha three weeks before the proposed foreign visit. If he has to accept foreign hospitality, he has to inform the MHA under the FCRA,” he said.Rijiju also asked Gandhi to mention who had invited him and what agencies or organizations outside India had spent in his name.“Every Indian should follow the law of the land, especially MPs. If something happens, if something is started, the government should not be blamed for targeting Rahul Gandhi or a particular person. Law is for everyone,” Rijiju said.He also questioned how long Gandhi stayed outside India and what he spent during his foreign trips.Earlier, BJP’s Sambit Patra alleged that Gandhi’s 54 foreign trips cost Rs 60 crore, demanding disclosure. The Congress hit back, questioning why the BJP would not disclose the expenses of PM Modi’s foreign trips.
