Overview
- Rahul Gandhi alleged the Centre advises foreign visitors not to meet the Leader of the Opposition, calling it a break with precedent and a sign of insecurity.
- Government and MEA sources rejected the allegation, saying only official meetings are organised by the state and that delegations decide other engagements.
- Officials and BJP figures cited recent examples of visiting leaders meeting the LoP since mid‑2024 to dispute Gandhi’s claim.
- Congress said both Leaders of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, were not invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan banquet for President Vladimir Putin.
- Shashi Tharoor confirmed he was invited and will attend, drawing criticism from some Congress colleagues, as the dispute played out during Putin’s high‑profile visit.