NEW DELHI: Hours after the Congress admitted that Rahul Gandhi had met with the Chinese envoy, the party vice-president took to Twitter to defend the meeting and also attack the government.
“It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from northeast and the Bhutanese Ambassador,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
Reacting to the controversy around the meeting, Rahul said, “If the government is so concerned about me meeting an ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on.”
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi tweeted his photo with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Earlier on July 10, the Congress made a flip-flop over the meeting, first denying it and then accepting that the meeting did take place.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a series of tweets labeled the reports as fake news.
However, in a U-turn, he later admitted to the meeting and slammed media for sensationalizing it.
“Envoys met Rahul Gandhi, not only Chinese envoy but also Bhutanese envoy and ex-NSA Shiv Shankar Menon,” said party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who had earlier in the day strongly denied media reports about the meeting.
“Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress president and vice-president from time to time on courtesy basis,” Surjewala further added.
Randeep Singh Surjewala had in a series of tweets said some news channels were running “fake news” on Gandhi’s alleged meeting with Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference Congress leader Manish Tewari also slammed those who were targeting the party over the meeting.
“I ask what ministers Prakash Jawdekar, JP Nadda and minister of culture were doing in China when PM met Chinese Premier at G-20,” he said.
India Tribune, as an English weekly newspaper, was launched in 1977 in Chicago by its publisher Prashant Shah with a lofty ideal to serve the Asian Indian community in the USA. Over the years, it has grown with all vigor, and now it is being published in three editions – Chicago, New York and Atlanta. India Tribune, a journal of its kind for the family in the USA, has been a household name for many Indians for over three decades with each issue commanding a readership of over 125,000.
