New Delhi: Chief of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi authorities of being “insecure” and alleged it discourages overseas dignitaries from assembly with him, drawing rebuttals from the BJP forward of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival on Thursday.

Gandhi instructed media individuals it has been a “custom” for opposition leaders to satisfy visiting heads of states, citing precedents throughout the governments of “Vajpayee ji and Manmohan Singh ji”. He added {that a} chief of opposition offers a “totally different perspective”.

She stated: “These are authorities selections. Atal ji was a nationwide asset, a patriot. The whole nation was pleased with him. However Rahul Gandhi’s sentiments for the nation are fairly questionable.”

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra backed her brother and stated, “Each democracy has a protocol which must be adopted. The federal government…is breaking protocols. This displays insecurity.”

Gandhi’s claims are rooted in a long time of parliamentary conference. On 4 December 2004, precisely 21 years earlier than Putin’s newest go to, the Russian President met then Chief of Opposition L.Ok. Advani throughout Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s time period, when the BJP held 138 seats within the 543-member Home.

Advani’s engagement with heads of states prolonged past routine courtesy calls. In Might 2005, he was despatched to conduct peace talks with Pakistan, assembly President Pervez Musharraf to debate Kashmir and different contentious points between the 2 nations. In March 2006, he met US President George W. Bush throughout an official go to to India.

The observe predates Singh’s tenure. Throughout Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s authorities from 1999 to 2004, then LoP Sonia Gandhi met US President Invoice Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and different heads of state.

Clinton met Sonia in March 2000 after addressing each homes of Parliament and assembly Vajpayee. Sonia’s assembly with Sharon throughout his September 2003 go to proved extra contentious, with particular person Congress members calling for a boycott of the Israeli Prime Minister over the battle with Palestine. Vajpayee later lauded her gesture to satisfy Sharon.

Requested in regards to the custom, a former Indian diplomat instructed ThePrint he wasn’t an skilled on the difficulty, nevertheless it was “at all times” a “conference” for the LoP to satisfy a head of state as a part of “protocol of an official go to”.

(Edited by Prerna Madan)

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