No change in Rahul’s itinerary during UK, Germany visits: Cong

NEW DELHI: The Congress clarified on Friday that there has been no change in the engagements of Congress President Rahul Gandhi during his scheduled visits to Germany and the UK and accused the BJP of trying to undermine the visit because “it is getting popular”.

Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said there is “absolutely no change in Gandhi’s itinerary”.

“He will go as per schedule of the itinerary decided by the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC). He will engage and interact with various sections of people as per the schedule. There is no change in the plans,” she said.

“BJP is trying to undermine the entire visit because they know how popular it is getting and how people wish to hear Rahul Gandhi and want to reach out to him,” she added.

Chaturvedi said if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to get any invite withdrawn, it exposes “its pettiness and its shortsightedness” at a time when leaders from across the political spectrum were appreciating the democratic norms followed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Congress sources said IOC Chairman Sam Pitroda had conveyed that there had been no change in the proposed visit of Gandhi to the UK Parliament.

A media report said on Friday that Indian-origin millionaire Dr Rami Ranger, cochairman of the Conservative Friends of India, and Tory peer Baroness Verma have rescinded an invitation to Rahul Gandhi during his trip to London saying the event had been cancelled.

It also said Labour MP Keith Vaz has sponsored a room elsewhere in the Parliament and Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) has taken over running the event.

Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Germany and London next week to meet businessmen, politicians, academics and Non-resident Indians (NRIS).