Rahul Gandhi’s Big Claim on PM Modi’s Invite to Trump’s Inauguration Sparks Heated Debate in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha witnessed intense exchanges today as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a controversial claim regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with the United States. Speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Rahul Gandhi alleged that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was sent to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States in order to secure an invite for PM Modi. His remarks led to strong objections from BJP MPs, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanding proof for such a statement, calling it unverified and irresponsible.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, began his speech by expressing his dissatisfaction with the President’s Address. He claimed that he struggled to pay attention to it as it repeated the same points from previous addresses. Calling it a "laundry list" of government achievements, he criticized the speech for lacking fresh perspectives and addressing real concerns.

Moving on to economic issues, Mr. Gandhi raised concerns about India’s unemployment crisis. He stated that neither the previous UPA government nor the current NDA government had given a "clear-cut answer" to the youth regarding job opportunities. He pointed out that despite the Modi government's "Make in India" initiative, the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP had declined from 15.3% in 2014 to 12.6% today. He acknowledged that PM Modi had tried to boost manufacturing but ultimately failed in execution.

Rahul Gandhi also attacked India's dependency on China, stating that the country had failed in organizing production. According to him, every time Indians use a phone, wear a Chinese-made shirt, or buy sneakers, they indirectly pay a "tax to China." He warned that if India continued to focus only on consumption without strengthening production, it would lead to economic deficits, growing inequality, and an unemployment crisis.

Speaking on artificial intelligence (AI), he pointed out that China controls most of the world’s production data while the US dominates consumption data. He argued that for India to become a global AI player, it must first answer the question of what data would power AI development. "Today, India does not have production data or consumption data," he claimed, pushing for a stronger production network.

At this point, he linked his argument to the controversy surrounding PM Modi’s engagement with the US. Rahul Gandhi alleged that if India had a strong production system, the US president would naturally visit India and invite PM Modi, rather than India having to send its foreign minister multiple times to secure an invitation. This remark triggered a loud uproar in the Lok Sabha, with BJP MPs strongly objecting to the claim.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju hit back, stating that such "serious, unsubstantiated statements" should not be made in the House, especially regarding India's foreign relations. He challenged Mr. Gandhi to provide evidence of his claim, asking him to reveal who had informed him that the Foreign Minister's visit was meant to secure an invite for PM Modi.

Rahul Gandhi responded sarcastically, saying, "I am sorry if that question disturbed you. I apologise for disturbing your peace of mind." This further angered the BJP, with Rijiju demanding a proper apology and accusing Gandhi of lying in Parliament.

Donald Trump’s inauguration took place on January 20, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended the event as India's representative. PM Modi spoke with Trump days after the inauguration, and a visit to the US is expected soon. However, the claim that India pushed for an invitation remains unverified and has sparked a major political controversy.