Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will be attending a conference in the US where global leaders from various domains will also be present, the party said on Tuesday.
"The Congress vice president is travelling to Aspen, US, on a short visit to attend a conference. The conference is expected to be attended by global leaders from various domains, both from the government and private sectors. We reject all rumours stating otherwise," party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told IANS.
The information about Gandhi going to the US came amid the ongoing campaign for the crucial Bihar assembly election.
Gandhi had gone on a nearly two month sabbatical earlier this year.
BJP takes swipe at Rahul's foreign trip ahead of Bihar polls
The BJP on Wednesday took potshots at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for going on a foreign trip ahead of the Bihar assembly election.
The party said Gandhi was asked to stay away from the Bihar elections by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
"Rahul Gandhi has all the right to go for a vacation, as in recent days he has worked hard for the party and has addressed a few rallies," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.
"Rahul and responsibility never go together," he added.
Patra said that as Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad were not comfortable with Gandhi as he stands for corruption, he was forced to stay away from Bihar.
"Gandhi has been sent for a forceful (sic) vacation as Nitish and Lalu were not comfortable with his presence in Bihar, because his stay anywhere near Bihar is going to harm their electoral chances," he said.
Patra questioned the Congress clarification on Gandhi's trip.
"The Congress party initially comes out and says that Rahul Gandhi is on a personal visit and, thereafter, they say that he is not on a personal visit, but is going to Aspen to attend a conference," he said.
"I and the country would really like to know that an expert without any knowledge is attending which foreign conference? He hardly was seen at any Indian conferences or seminars," Patra added.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar also took a jibe at Gandhi and the Congress.
"Leave aside the people of the country, even Congress leaders don't know where he has gone," he said.
BJP running malicious campaign against Rahul: Congress
(20:20)
New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday termed as a "motivated and malicious campaign" the BJP's allegation against Rahul Gandhi that he was sent on a "forceful vacation", and said the BJP was resorting to spreading petty canards because it sees its "imminent loss in the Bihar election".
"The Congress party in a written statement, yesterday (Tuesday), had clearly stated that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is travelling to Aspen, US on a short visit to attend a conference.
"The conference is expected to be attended by global leaders from various domains, both from government and private sectors. We reject all rumours stating otherwise," the party said in a statement issued here.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the statement "leaves little scope for confusion in anybody's mind and any confusion whatsoever was squarely in the minds of the BJP spokespersons, who were scared of the impending defeat in the Bihar election, and were spinning yarns of white lies".
"Seeing its imminent loss in the Bihar election, the BJP is resorting to spreading petty canards ranging from statements qua review of reservation by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to spokespersons shooting themselves in the foot by spreading patent lies," he said.
The Congress also gave details of the conference Gandhi was attending in the US.
"It is reiterated that the said conference known as 'Weekend with Charlie Rose' is an internationally renowned private conference organised and piloted by famous journalist Charlie Rose, who apart from other things recently interviewed the Russian President Vladmir Putin," the statement added.
The BJP took potshots at Gandhi for going on a foreign trip ahead of the Bihar assembly election. It said Gandhi was asked to stay away by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
"Rahul Gandhi has all the right to go for a vacation as in recent days he has worked hard for the party and has addressed few rallies...," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.
"Gandhi has been sent for a forceful vacation as Nitish and Lalu were not comfortable with his presence in Bihar," he said.
