BJP: Rahul left India during national mourning

New Delhi: Amid the war of words between the BJP and the Congress over the cremation and memorial of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the BJP on Monday fired a fresh salvo, this time attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Congress said the leaders of the party stayed away from the ashes’ immersion rituals in order to give “personal space” to the family of Dr Singh. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya posted on X: “While the country is mourning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year. Rahul Gandhi politicised and exploited Dr Singh’s death for his expedient politics but his contempt for him is unmissable.” Calling the Lok Sabha LoP the “leader of 'pariyatan' ”, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala said: “At a time, when the entire country is in grief over the demise of former PM Manmohan Singh, as expected, Rahul Gandhi has left for a tour, as per media reports… At the time when the 26/11 attack happened in Mumbai, he was partying all night. On the absence of Congress leaders during ashes’ immersion rituals, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said: “After discussing with them, it was felt that since the family did not get any privacy at the time of the cremation and some extended family members could not reach the pyre site, it would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the ‘Phool Chunana’ and the immersion of the ashes which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members.” He said after the cremation, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at their residence here.