‘What is Rahul Gandhi doing in South America?’: BJP questions ‘secrecy’ over Congress leader’s tour

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday raised questions over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to South America, asking why so much ‘secrecy’ is maintained over his trip.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya noted that Gandhi left for South America on September 26 and there is complete silence on the real purpose of his visit.

“Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, left for South America on September 26. It’s been over 15 days now, and apart from a few staged videos meant to divert attention from the real purpose of his visit, there’s complete silence,” Malviya said.

“Where exactly is Rahul Gandhi, and what is he doing in South America? Why all this secrecy?,” he asked.

Gandhi is currently on a tour of four South American nations, meeting a host of students, businessmen, as well as political leaders.

Malviya, who has been targeting Gandhi over his foreign trip, had wondered on Saturday what excuses the "missing" leader would come up with after the Mahagathbandhan's expected loss in the Bihar Assembly elections next month.

"If Rahul Gandhi is done learning how to brew coffee in Colombia and vacationing, he should return to India. Bihar elections have been announced and polling begins in less than a month. The Mahagathbandhan will lose, again. And, as always, the Congress will blame everyone, except their missing leader!,” he had said.

The ruling party has been accusing Gandhi of projecting the country in a bad light on the foreign soil.

Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey demanded an investigation into Gandhi's foreign tours in the past ten years while party leader Tuhin Sinha questioned the purpose and confidentiality of the visits.

“Rahul Gandhi is a strange leader who travels all the way to South America to observe Navratri instead of participating in the Navratri pujas happening in the country. If his trip is indeed an official visit, as claimed by Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, then what is the need for so much secrecy? Why has he not shared his South America itinerary yet?,” Sinha had asked.

India