The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on July 10, criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, describing him as a “non-serious politician” and alleging that several student outreach programmes scheduled for this month were cancelled because of his absence from public life.
The attack was led by BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha, who claimed that Gandhi had not participated in any major public engagement for nearly two weeks and had chosen to prioritise a vacation over political commitments.
The Congress had not issued any official response to the allegations at the time of publication.
Addressing the media, Sinha alleged that three student-related events planned for this month had been cancelled because Gandhi was unavailable.
According to the BJP leader, the cancellations raised questions about the Congress MP’s commitment to issues concerning students and young people.
“It is shocking that Rahul Gandhi has reportedly cancelled three scheduled student rallies. He appears to be completely immersed in vacationing and focused on holidays rather than public engagement,” Sinha said.
The BJP spokesperson argued that Gandhi frequently raises student-related issues in his political campaigns but was now absent when direct interaction with students had been planned.
Escalating his criticism, Sinha accused the Congress leader of using student concerns for political purposes.
He alleged that Gandhi’s absence demonstrated a lack of seriousness towards the very groups whose issues he often highlights in public speeches and campaigns.
According to the BJP, the cancellation of the events reflected a disconnect between Gandhi’s political messaging and his actual engagement with students.
Sinha further claimed that while students across the country continue to face academic and career-related challenges, Gandhi had opted for an extended break.
The BJP spokesperson also took to social media platform X to reiterate his criticism.
In his post, Sinha claimed that Gandhi’s last verified public appearance took place on June 19 and alleged that he had not addressed any rallies, press conferences or major public meetings since then.
He further accused the Congress leader of abandoning scheduled engagements and questioned his political commitment.
The post described Gandhi as a “non-serious politician” and alleged that he was attempting to exploit student sentiment for political gain.
The Congress has not officially commented on the BJP’s allegations regarding Gandhi’s absence or the reported cancellation of student outreach events.
The controversy comes amid continuing political exchanges between the BJP and Congress as both parties prepare for a series of electoral contests and public campaigns in the coming months.
Rahul Gandhi has frequently positioned himself as a vocal advocate on issues concerning students, unemployment and education, often interacting with youth groups during his political outreach programmes.
