- By Nidhi Giri
- Wed, 08 Jan 2025 05:22 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, came down heavily on Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for allegedly travelling to Vietnam after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s death. Singh, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92 due to age-related medical issues in Delhi.
“As an ordinary, concerned citizen of the country, I would definitely like to question Rahul Gandhi on why, when the nation was mourning the death of a Prime Minister, who was a stalwart of his own party, did he have to take off for a foreign trip to celebrate New Year's?" Mukherjee told India Today in an interview.
Sharmistha also sought an answer for the absence of senior Congress leaders during the collection of remains of former prime minister Manmohan Singh after his cremation.
“This is a time when the party should have strongly stood behind the former Prime Minister's family,” Mukherjee told India Today. “When my father died, I got individual condolences from party leaders. It was fair enough that no one came after that since it was during the Covid-19 pandemic. But now there is no Covid, no restriction. Then why was no Congress leader present for the ash collection ritual?”
She further said, "Why did Rahul Gandhi fly away? Why did he have to do that at a time like this?"
BJP On Rahul Gandhi's Vietnam Trip
BJP last week launched an attack on Rahul Gandhi for allegedly flying to Vietnam for New Year celebrations just a few days after the death of former prime minister and a Congress veteran, Manmohan Singh. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha flew to Vietnam while the whole nation was mourning the former prime minister's death.
The BJP's attack came in the wake of the Congress's allegation that the Central government insulted Manmohan Singh by not cremating him at a spot earmarked for his memorial.
“While the country is mourning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown abroad to bring in the New Year even as the nation observes seven days of mourning. Congress doesn't care for Dr Manmohan Singh. They abused and insulted him during his lifetime,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla had told ANI.
The Congress, however, clarified that it was a decision taken in consultation with the bereaved family to respect their privacy.