Rahul Gandhi doesn't know the D of diplomacy: BJP

The BJP on Friday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of undermining India's foreign policy and weakening the country's position amid heightened diplomatic efforts against Pakistan.

At a media briefing, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Gandhi's repeated criticism of India's global outreach and "Operation Sindoor" bordered on irresponsibility. "Rahul Gandhi, in his own mind, believes he is the world's greatest diplomat. But to the people of India, he doesn't even know the 'D' of diplomacy," Bhatia said. "He is acting like an adversary of the country."

Gandhi had earlier alleged that India's foreign policy had "collapsed," and questioned why India was being "hyphenated" with Pakistan. He also demanded an explanation from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the circumstances that led to former US President Donald Trump offering to mediate between India and Pakistan.


The BJP also reminded the Congress of the controversial Sharm el Sheikh statement issued under the UPA government, which linked Balochistan to India-a move that was seen as conceding ground to Pakistan.

"Rahul Gandhi must decide which side he is on-India's or Pakistan's," Bhatia said. "Is he the Leader of the Opposition here, or a candidate for Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan?"

Bhatia asked Gandhi if the joint statement of then PM Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Syed Yusuf Raza in Sharm el Sheikh after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that Pakistan was also a victim of terror, was the Congress' diplomacy.

Terming the Sharm el Sheikh joint statement as irresponsible behaviour of the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Bhatia said it was made against the established policy of India and asked Gandhi if he had forgotten it.