As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to return to India today after his 21-day visit to the US, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targetted him for his alleged mysterious trips abroad and questioned the purpose of these visits.

Rahul Gandhi went to the US last month during which he interacted with the Indian diaspora, venture capitalists, tech executives and students.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to Twitter and questioned, ““Why does Rahul Gandhi spend so much time abroad, especially with a large part of his trips being shrouded in mystery?”

“Several reports on his clandestine meetings with foreign agencies and groups inimical to India’s interest raise further questions on the purpose of these visits…,” Malviya further said.

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Speaking to members of the Indian diaspora in California, Rahul Gandhi called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “specimen” of a group that believes it knows it all, even more than God, without understanding anything.

He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine is attacking the Indian way of life, the idea of India and the Indian Constitution. He also said that India today was not a fair place for Dalits, tribals, minorities, and the poor.

His comments on the PM riled the BJP. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur claimed Gandhi went abroad on “sponsored programmes” for “anti-India propaganda” to insult India, the country’s national anthem and flag on foreign soil.

Also Read: ‘If you sat Modi ji next to God…’: Rahul Gandhi enthralls audience during US visit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “Democratic culture has a certain collective responsibility” and added that, “There are things bigger than politics when one steps outside the country.”

Key Opposition meet

Rahul Gandhi is returning to India ahead of a key Opposition meeting in Patna on June 23, in which leaders from different non-BJP political parties will participate. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi are all set to attend the meeting convened by chief minister Nitish Kumar as a part of his efforts to forge a united Opposition ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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The Opposition leaders who are expected to attend the meeting include West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, and Shiv Sena (UBT) group president Uddhav Thackeray among other key personalities.