Chinese, Bhutanse envoys met with Rahul Gandhi: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday made a U-turn and admitted that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi did meet with Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui.
"Envoys met Rahul Gandhi, not only Chinese envoy but also Bhutanese envoy and ex-NSA Shiv Shankar Menon," said party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who had earlier in the day strongly denied media reports about the meeting.
"Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress president and vice-president from time to time on courtesy basis," Surjewala further added.
Randeep Singh Surjewala had in a series of tweets said some news channels were running "fake news" on Gandhi's alleged meeting with Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui.
The channels "will not question three Union ministers visiting China or PM's (Narendra Modi) bonhomie and praise at G20. Yet run fake news", Surjewala had said.
He had alleged that the report was planted by external affairs ministry and intelligence bureau sources.

Congress social media head Ramya said the issue was not if Gandhi met the Chinese envoy or not and questioned why the Prime Minister did not flag the border issue with Chinese President Xi Jinpingwhen the two leaders met last week at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.
"While Chinese incursions were happening, this meeting took place and the Weak PM didn't deem it necessary to speak about the issue," she wrote on Twitter and posted a picture of Modi with Xi Jinping at the summit.
"Even if Congress vice-president had met the Chinese Ambassador, I don't see it as an issue, but the PM not flagging it in private or public is an issue," Ramya added.

Later, addressing a press conference Congress leader Manish Tewari slammed those who were targeting the party over the meeting.
"I ask what ministers Prakash Jawdekar, JP Nadda and minister of culture were doing in China when PM met Chinese Premier at G-20," he said.
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(With inputs from agencies)
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