The BJP launched a coordinated campaign through its state units, sharing altered movie posters carrying captions such as "Leave India," "Missing Rahul," "Rahul Has Gone," "The Tourist Lives On," and "Foreign Land." The campaign mocked Rahul Gandhi's travel schedule and sought to portray him as a politician who spends more time abroad than in the country.
BJP Delhi also shared a poster asking, "What does Rahul Gandhi prefer? India or Foreign Countries?" while BJP Goa questioned his current whereabouts, asking whether he was vacationing in Thailand or undertaking another overseas trip to plan what it described as a propaganda campaign against India.
The party further suggested that Rahul Gandhi's designation as Leader of the Opposition should instead be changed to "Leader of Tourism."
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla intensified the criticism, stating that Rahul Gandhi should be known as the "Leader of Tourism and Parties" because, according to him, he is seen only travelling and attending social events while Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues working for the country.
Another BJP spokesperson, RP Singh, questioned the financial source of Rahul Gandhi's repeated foreign visits. Claiming that this was Gandhi's 55th international trip, Singh said that the last information available in the public domain indicated that more than Rs 60 crore had been spent on these visits. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi neither declared an equivalent amount of income nor paid income tax matching such expenditure, raising questions over who financed these overseas journeys.
The Congress strongly rejected the BJP's allegations and defended Rahul Gandhi's international engagements, asserting that he is invited by governments, institutions and individuals across the world because of his global stature.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said Rahul Gandhi is not merely a leader within India but is also regarded internationally as an important political figure. According to Khurshid, many people across the world wish to listen to him, meet him and interact with him. He explained that Gandhi receives repeated invitations from various countries and institutions, which is why his foreign visits are generally short, lasting only two to five days. Khurshid also stated that people around the world view India from different perspectives and, in that context, they also view Rahul Gandhi differently, adding that not everyone shares the BJP's political outlook.
Congress Member of Parliament Manoj Kumar also defended the Leader of the Opposition, pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself undertook an overseas visit after appealing to citizens not to travel abroad. Kumar argued that there was nothing unusual about Rahul Gandhi travelling internationally and described him as a globally recognised political leader.
The exchange has once again intensified the political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress, with the ruling party questioning Rahul Gandhi's frequent overseas visits and their funding, while the Congress maintains that his international engagements reflect his recognition and influence on the global stage.
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