By PTI
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday tweeted a video of Rahul Gandhi apparently at a nightclub in Nepal, inviting a strong response from the Congress which said he was in the friendly country to attend the marriage function of a journalist friend and that it is not a crime to attend weddings of family and friends.
BJP’s social media department head Amit Malviya tweeted Gandhi’s video that went viral on social media.
“Rahul Gandhi was at a nightclub when Mumbai was under seize(sic). He is at a nightclub at a time when his party is exploding. He is consistent. Interestingly, soon after the Congress refused to outsource their presidency, hit jobs have begun on their Prime Ministerial candidate,” Malviya said in the tweet.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala hit back, saying Gandhi was in Nepal for a private wedding and has not gone there uninvited.
“Rahul Gandhi has not gone as an uninvited guest like Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to Pakistan to celebrate the birthday and cut cakes for the then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. Rahul Gandhi has gone to a friendly country Nepal to participate in a private marriage function of a friend. By chance, the friend also happens to be a journalist,” he said.
Surjewala also hit out at the RSS, saying it is not a crime to attend weddings of family and friends as it is part of our culture, unlike the RSS.
“Last when I checked, having a family in this country and having friends, attending marriage and engagement ceremonies is a matter of our culture and civilisation. It has still not become a crime in this country to be married, to be friends with someone or to attend their marriage celebration. Maybe after today, Prime Minister Modi or the BJP may decide that it is illegal to attend a marriage. They may say it is a crime to have friends or participate in family functions,” he said.
“But, do let me know so that we all change our status and habits and civilisational practices of attending marriages of friends, as also family members,” Surjewala also said.
Gandhi arrived in Nepal on Monday on a five-day private visit to the country.
According to The Kathmandu Post newspaper, the Congress leader is in Kathmandu to attend the wedding of his Nepali friend Sumnima Udas.
“We had extended an invitation to Gandhi to attend the wedding of my daughter,” said Bhim Udas, Sumnima’s father who also served as Nepal’s Ambassador to Myanmar.
Sumnima, a former CNN correspondent, is getting married to Nima Martin Sherpa, the report had said.
The marriage function is planned for Tuesday and a reception will be held on May 5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bauddha, the bride’s father Bhim said.
