Thu Dec 04 17:50:57 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
Congress Accuses Government of Breaking Democratic Protocol Ahead of Putin Visit
New Delhi, December 4, 2025 (The Hindu e-Paper) – Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today accused the government of actively discouraging foreign dignitaries from meeting with the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), calling the alleged practice a departure from established democratic tradition and a sign of government “insecurity.”
Gandhi’s comments were made to reporters in Parliament hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled two-day visit to India. He asserted that meetings between foreign leaders and the LoP have been a customary practice in the past, citing examples from the tenures of Prime Ministers Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
“It has been a tradition that foreign leaders meet the LoP,” Gandhi stated. “But now, when I go abroad or when dignitaries come here, the government tells them not to meet me.” He argued that such meetings provide visiting leaders with “another perspective” and emphasize that the opposition also represents India.
When questioned about the government’s motives, Gandhi attributed the alleged practice to “their insecurity.”
Echoing Gandhi’s sentiments, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asserted that “Every democracy has a protocol which should be followed. The government wants to capture everything, silence other voices, and is breaking protocols. This reflects insecurity.”
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal also weighed in, calling the practice a “time-tested democratic tradition” that strengthens India’s international engagements. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), criticizing those who “only wish to speak their own Mann ki Baat” for disregarding these traditions.
The accusations come as India prepares to welcome President Putin, raising questions about potential meetings between the Russian leader and opposition figures during his visit.
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