In New Delhi on December 7, the debate over who would be invited to the state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan for Russian President Vladimir Putin grew even fiercer. Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP’s state president and a minister, seized the moment to hit Congress hard, drawing a stark contrast between MP Shashi Tharoor’s diplomatic pedigree and Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
Jaiswal defended Tharoor’s invite by pointing to his professional background and worldwide experience. “Shashi Tharoor is a skilled diplomat and an intelligent, knowledgeable person. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, criticises the country despite benefiting from it. People like him do not need to be part of diplomacy,” he told LatestNewsX.
He then slammed Gandhi’s recent claim that the Modi government had broken tradition by refusing to invite opposition figures to meet the visiting Russian head of state. “Rahul Gandhi should know that the Constitution is not under threat; it is his Congress party that is in danger. The Congress ship is sinking, and Rahul Gandhi should focus on saving his party. India’s democracy and constitutional system are very strong, so instead of creating drama, he should worry about his own party,” the BJP leader said.
The spat boiled over after it became clear that opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha chair Mallikarjun Kharge were left out of the banquet held the previous evening. Meanwhile, senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor— a former diplomat and ex‑UN Under‑Secretary‑General— received an invitation and attended. The controversy followed a day after Gandhi publicly accused the Modi administration of “breaking tradition” and showing “insecurity” by preventing him and other opposition figures from meeting President Putin.
President Putin’s two‑day visit to India was aimed at summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about defence cooperation, energy ties and regional security. The diplomatic agenda has been eclipsed by heated accusations over the guest list, with the ruling BJP insisting its processes remain intact while accusing Congress of staging the controversy for political gain.
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