On 19 Oct 2026, BJP posted on X a video that it claimed showed Rahul Gandhi boarding a flight to Vietnam. The clip, allegedly taken by a fellow passenger, was used to suggest the opposition leader is taking a break from parliamentary duties.
BJP spokesperson RP Singh noted that Rahul Gandhi has a pattern of traveling abroad after completing a yatra; he argued the current trip is another escape from protests. Shazia Ilmi added that Rahul cannot sustain the hard work of an opposition leader and prefers vacations.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit countered, saying the BJP is over‑reacting to foreign trips and that Rahul has duties, including meeting students at Yale and London and giving press interviews. He also pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels abroad during parliamentary sessions.
The controversy ties back to Rahul Gandhi’s recent opposition charge against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR revision exercise, which the BJP and the Election Commission have denied. The next parliamentary debate on the SIR issue is scheduled for the following week.