Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s trip to the United States has been facing sparked a firestorm back home for the third day in a row as BJP leaders sharply criticised the Leader of the Opposition for meeting controversial American lawmaker Ilhan Omar.
Omar is known for her critical stance on India and has been accused in some quarters of holding an ideological bias when it comes to her views on the country. She was among several US lawmakers who Rahul Gandhi met on Tuesday during his three-day US visit.
BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya accused the Congress of working against the country. “India’s Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi meets Ilhan Omar in the USA, a Pakistan-sponsored anti-India voice, a radical Islamist, and an advocate of independent Kashmir. Even Pakistani leaders would be more circumspect about being seen with such rabid elements. Congress is now openly working against India,” Amit Malviya said in a post on X.
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Another BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also criticised Rahul Gandhi.
“After spewing venom against Sikhs and running down India on foreign soil, now Rahul Gandhi meets and engages with anti-India Ilhan Omar – 1) Ilhan had introduced anti-India resolutions in US Congress 2) She has been against abrogation of Art 370 3) She violated India’s sovereignty & visited PoK on a trip sponsored by Pakistan 4) She met Imran Khan & other such elements to discuss “Islamophobia” in India 5) She has been instrumental in peddling hatred against Hindus Why did Rahul Gandhi have to meet her? Why is he engaging with the most radical anti-India elements on every foreign trip? In BJP virodh – desh virodh is ok?,” he posted on X.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “Rahul Gandhi is known for spewing anti-India venom, but what he has done this time is concerning. He became the first Leader of the Opposition to meet US MP Ilan, who is infamous for taking anti-India stand.”
“He has further added another feather to the cap of his anti-India friends,” Sudhanshu Trivedi said, adding, “Rahul Gandhi is not acting childishly, but dangerously. He is now doing what anti-India elements would love.
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On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi met several US lawmakers at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington in a meeting hosted by Congressman Bradley James Sherman. The representatives he met include Jonathan Jackson, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Barbara Lee, Shri Thanedar, Jesºs G ‘Chuy’ Garca, Ilhan Omar, Hank Johnson, and Jan Schakowsky.
Ilhan Omar, who is the representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, attracted criticism last year after urging the US to “fully support” Canada’s investigation into alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Niijar.
Omar was also among the US lawmakers, who had boycotted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the joint session of the US Congress in June last year, accusing PM Modi of “repressing religious minorities”.
In 2022, Ilhan Omar visited Pakistan, where she met several political leaders, including Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan. During her visit, she also visited Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Omar’s visit was funded by the Pakistani government, covering her accommodation and meals.