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New Delhi: Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to India, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP) and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the Modi government for not allowing foreign delegations and leaders to meet the LoP.
Talking to reporters in the Parliament complex, he said the meetings with the LoP take place with delegations coming from foreign countries — it's a tradition, it's always been done this way. "But the Modi government tells delegates coming from outside not to meet with the LoP. This is being done every time."
The tradition of allowing foreign dignitaries to meet the LOP is a practice which was observed during the tenures of former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
Rahul voiced his angst over the LoP not being given the opportunity to meet visiting foreign leaders, arguing that the opposition also represents India. "India's representation isn't just by the government; the opposition does it too, yet the government doesn't want the opposition to meet with leaders coming from outside the country."
Rahul said, "Generally, the tradition has been that whoever visits India, the LoP used to have a meeting. It used to happen in the Vajpayee government, the Manmohan Singh government. But this is not the case now. Whenever I visit abroad, they suggest that those people shouldn't meet the LoP. People told us 'we have been informed not to meet the LoP. LoP provides a second perspective'. We also represent India, but the government doesn't want us to meet foreign dignitaries. PM Modi and the foreign ministry do not follow this now because of insecurity."
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor supported Rahul's concern that the LoP has been barred from meeting visiting dignitaries under the Modi-led government, calling for the Centre's response.
He underlined that visiting leaders should be given freedom to meet all sides in a democracy and emphasised that India must retain "sovereign autonomy" in managing ties with Russia, the US and China.
Reacting to the concern raised by Rahul, Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi said, "It is very weird. There is a protocol, and all visiting dignitaries meet the LoP. The protocol is being reversed by the government and all their policies are based on this. They don't want anyone to raise their voice. They don't want to listen to any other opinion."
She added: "They should abide by the protocols of a democracy. God knows what they are scared of... In a democracy, everyone should be able to put forward their opinions, discussions must be held, and appropriate action must be taken... The government is insecure, and this decision is a reflection of that... What will they get by breaking and reversing this protocol? This is their insecurity... The image of democracy is tarnished in the world."
