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India's Putin Dinner Snub: Why Excluding Opposition Leaders Sends Wrong Message

RJD's Manoj Jha slammed the government for not inviting opposition leaders to the official dinner for Vladimir Putin. He called the decision narrow-minded and said it sent a terrible message about India's unity to the world. The Congress party confirmed that both Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were excluded from the guest list. Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor's decision to attend the banquet anyway caused internal friction within his own party.

Key Points: Manoj Jha Criticizes Excluding LoPs from Putin Dinner

  • RJD MP criticizes government for excluding opposition leaders from official Putin dinner
  • Jha argues the snub damages India's unified image on global stage
  • Congress confirms Kharge and Rahul Gandhi did not receive invitations
  • Shashi Tharoor attends event despite party leaders' exclusion, sparking controversy
2 min read

Exclusivity visible, sent a wrong message globally: Manoj Jha on LoPs not being invited to Putin dinner

RJD MP Manoj Jha says not inviting opposition leaders to the Putin banquet reflects narrow-mindedness and projects a divided India to the world.

"A clear sense of exclusivity was visible... What message will they carry back? That this is a divided house. - Manoj Kumar Jha"

New Delhi, Dec 6

Reacting to Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, not being invited to the official dinner hosted for Russian President Vladimir Putin, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Saturday said the decision reflected “narrow-mindedness” and sent a wrong message globally.

Speaking to IANS, Jha said, “We have clearly messed up the optics. The relationship between India and Russia is decades old. The friendship between the two nations existed even when I was a child. With time, this relationship has only strengthened. But regarding Friday’s banquet, the officials in our government who took this decision demonstrated narrow-mindedness. A clear sense of exclusivity was visible. Do you think President Putin’s media advisors would not have noticed the news here? What message will they carry back? That this is a divided house.”

He added, “This was the moment when India could have showcased unity. It is fine if we fight during elections, but on such occasions, we should demonstrate universality and dignity.”

On Friday, the Congress said its President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and his Lok Sabha counterpart, Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the official dinner held in honour of the visiting Russian President.

“There has been speculation on whether the Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been invited for tonight’s official dinner in honour of President Putin. The two LoPs have not been invited,” Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh posted on X.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor found himself at the centre of a controversy yet again as he accepted the invitation for the banquet despite his party chief Kharge and Gandhi being excluded, prompting criticism from several within the party.

Ahead of attending the event at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Tharoor said, “I don’t know on what basis the invitations are being sent, but I will certainly attend. It is not appropriate that the Leaders of the Opposition have not been invited.”

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While I understand the government's position, this was a missed opportunity. On the global stage, we should present a united front. Our foreign policy and ties with Russia are national interests, not partisan ones.
R
Rahul R
Frankly, I'm more concerned about what message we send to Putin about our democracy. He must be thinking, "So even in the world's largest democracy, the opposition can be sidelined on a whim." Not a good look for Brand India.
A
Ashley H
Reading this from abroad. It's interesting to see the debate. In many countries, opposition leaders are routinely included in state dinners for foreign dignitaries. It's about respecting the institution, not the individual.
K
Karthik V
Shashi Tharoor's position is awkward but understandable. As an MP and former diplomat, he probably felt obligated to attend an important state function. The blame lies with those who made the guest list, not with him.
N
Neha E
Respectfully, I disagree with Jha. The government hosts the dinner, they decide the guest list. If the opposition wants to critique foreign policy, they can do so in Parliament. Mixing everything up is not necessary. Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill.
V
Vikram M

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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