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Sharmistha Mukherjee’s comment comes a week after the BJP accused Congress of insensitivity over Gandhi’s trip, triggering a political debate
The BJP accused Gandhi of ‘prioritising’ his New Year holiday over India’s ‘architect of economic reforms’ late Manmohan Singh, as many reports claimed that the Congress MP had flown abroad to ring in the New Year. (PTI Image file)
Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his decision to travel to Vietnam shortly after the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
At a time when the nation was mourning Singh’s death, Mukherjee questioned Gandhi’s decision to leave the country for a New Year’s trip, suggesting that he could have postponed his travel given the circumstances.
“As an ordinary, concerned citizen of the country, I would definitely like to question Rahul Gandhi on why, when the nation was mourning the death of a Prime Minister, who was a stalwart of his own party, did he have to take off for a foreign trip to celebrate New Year’s? Why couldn’t you wait? The sky wouldn’t have fallen,” she told India Today in an interview.
Mukherjee’s comment comes a week after the BJP accused Congress of insensitivity over Gandhi’s trip, triggering a political debate.
She further expressed disappointment that no Congress leaders attended the rituals after Singh’s death. She noted that, according to news reports, no party members were present when Singh’s ashes were collected.
During the interview, Sharmistha stressed the importance of offering support to the family during such difficult times. She recalled how, despite Covid-19 restrictions, party leaders had personally extended their condolences following her father’s death in 2020.
“This is a time when the party should have strongly stood behind the former Prime Minister’s family. When my father died, I got individual condolences from party leaders. It was fair enough that no one came after that since it was during the Covid-19 pandemic,” she added.
With no restrictions now in place, she questioned why no Congress leaders were present for the ritual and why Rahul Gandhi had chosen to travel at that time.
“But now there is no Covid, no restriction. Then why was no Congress leader present for the ash collection ritual? Why did Rahul Gandhi fly away? Why did he have to do that at a time like this?,” Sharmistha asked.
