Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the government of blocking visiting foreign dignitaries from meeting the leader of the Opposition (LoP), calling it a reflection of the Centre’s “insecurity”.
His remarks came just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to India begins.
The longstanding tradition of visiting leaders meeting the LoP was not being honoured by the Narendra Modi government or the Union Ministry of External Affairs, Rahul told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
"Normally the tradition is that those who come from abroad have a meeting with the LoP. This used to happen during [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee ji's time, Manmohan Singh ji's time, it has been a tradition but what happens these days is that when foreign dignitaries come and when I go abroad, the government suggests to them to not meet the LoP," Rahul said.
"This is their policy, they do this every time. They do it when I go abroad and when people come here. We get the message that they have been told that the government has said 'not to meet you'," he added.
Rahul said the LoP offered an alternative viewpoint crucial in representing the nation.
"We also represent India, only the government does not represent India. The government does not want Opposition leaders to meet foreign leaders. This is a tradition [visiting foreign dignitaries meeting the LoP], a norm, but Modi ji does not follow this norm, foreign ministry does not follow this norm," he said, without directly naming Putin.
Asked why the government was doing so, Rahul replied, "It is their insecurity."
His sister and Wayanad MP, Priyanka Gandhi, also hit out at the government, alleging that established protocol was being violated.
“It's strange. It is protocol that visiting dignitaries meet the LoP. But this government's policy is based on not allowing other voices to rise. I do not know what kind of fear and insecurity they have. In a democracy, everyone should have the right to express their views. This government is insecure, and this is a reflection of that. It endangers our democracy,” she said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor backed the concerns, stating that the government should address the issue raised by Rahul Gandhi.
"... The LoP has made his point, and I think the government should respond...," Tharoor said.
He added that democratic norms would be better served if visiting leaders met a wide range of representatives.
"In a democracy, it would be nice that the visiting dignitaries meet everyone... I think this is an important visit, and in our country, without doubt, many important bilateral relations need to be maintained — with Russia, China, and the US. We cannot accept a proposition that one relationship has to be determined by the nature of another relationship. We should have sovereign autonomy, actually, to decide the terms of our own engagement,” he said.
Tharoor also highlighted key areas of India-Russia cooperation likely to feature in the upcoming talks.
“A lot of talks have already taken place at the expert level to work out some possible agreements that might be signed when President Putin is here, and that would be very valuable for us... Defence cooperation has been very important. We already saw the utility of the S-400 air defence system during Operation Sindoor. There are now discussions of more S-400, or maybe even S-500... There is a possibility of a mobility agreement for our workers. We don't want a situation where our people go for one thing and end up being pressured into the Army. There should be some formal agreement about how these things happen. There is no doubt that there is a lot to be discussed, and I am convinced that our Prime Minister and President Putin will have a good conversation... The LoP has made his point, and I think the government should respond..."
Putin is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday evening for a summit with Prime Minister Modi. Boosting defence ties, protecting India-Russia trade from external pressure, and exploring cooperation on small modular reactors are expected to top the agenda during Friday’s high-profile meeting.