Rahul Gandhi in Nepal for friend's wedding, BJP triggers war of words

Rahul Gandhi’s personal affairs have once again triggered a war of words, with BJP supporters attacking the Congress leader for attending a a friend’s wedding in Nepal on Tuesday, saying he was partying while criticising the government on social media.

Congress, however, hit back, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter’s wedding in 2015.

Prime among the critics was BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya who tweeted Rahul “is at a nightclub at a time when his party is exploding”.

“Rahul Gandhi hasn’t gone to Pakistan as an uninvited guest like PM Modi to cut a cake with Nawaz Sharif, and we know what happens in Pathankot,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said at a news briefing.

“Rahul Gandhi has gone to Nepal, a friendly country, to attend a journalist’s wedding. There is nothing wrong. It’s a matter of our culture. It’s not a crime. Maybe PM and BJP will soon decide it’s a crime to participate in weddings of friends and family members,” he added.

There were some on social media who did not find fault with Rahul’s actions.

Rahul Gandhi will attend the wedding of his Nepali friend Sumnima Udas, a former CNN journalist and now the Executive Director of The Lumbini Museum, in Kathmandu. The Kathmandu Post reported quoting two security sources. The wedding is scheduled for Tuesday and a reception will be held Thursday, the daily reported.