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Shashi Tharoor invited to Putin dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan; LoPs Rahul Gandhi and Kharge left out

In a development that has triggered political sparring, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was invited to the official state dinner hosted in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday, while Leaders of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were not extended invitations. This comes a day after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi alleged the Modi government is going against tradition and doesnt want him or a representative of the Opposition to meet Vladimir Putin because of its insecurity. Putin is on a two-day visit to India for annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday confirmed that both Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Kharge, his counterpart in the Rajya Sabha, were not on the guest list for the high-profile event. However, Shashi Tharoor, former Minister of State for External Affairs and a senior Congress leader, said he had received an invitation. Yes, I have got the invitation. I certainly should be going, Tharoor told reporters outside Parliament. The decision to invite Tharoor, while excluding the two senior-most Opposition leaders, drew reactions from within the Congress. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera remarked that the move raised questions not only about those issuing such invitations but also about those accepting them. Everyone has their own conscience, their own inner voice. Had we been invited instead of our leaders, it is clear that we would not have accepted it, Khera said. Putin-Modi meet: India, Russia unveil new measures to broaden trade, economic ties India not neutral, is on side of peace: PM's message to Putin on Ukraine war Modi greets Putin with rare red-carpet welcome, hails 'time-tested India-Russia friendship'