Shashi Tharoor said 'I am not a travel agent' when reporters asked about Rahul Gandhi's trip to Vietnam, citing responsibilities rather than commenting on Gandhi's travel.
Gandhi's four‑day trip to Vietnam occurred during nationwide protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, drawing criticism from the BJP for allegedly using the trip as a break from the protests.
BJP leader Sambit Patra accused Gandhi of seeking 'regime change' training from George Soros, while spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari suggested Gandhi was meeting 'chaos collaborators' abroad, citing a video of Gandhi boarding a flight to Vietnam.
Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit defended Gandhi, pointing out his duties at institutions like Yale and London, and argued that the opposition's travel is a legitimate exercise of parliamentary privileges.
The controversy is set to be debated in Parliament next week, with opposition leaders demanding a formal inquiry into Gandhi’s foreign travel expenditures, while the BJP threatens to file a petition with the Election Commission.