BJP Questions Rahul Gandhi’s Foreign Travel Expenses, Alleges ₹60 Crore Spent in 22 Years
Sambit Patra raises concerns over funding sources, claims Congress leader’s travel expenses far exceed declared income.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his foreign travels, alleging that he spent nearly ₹60 crore on 54 overseas trips over the last 22 years.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that Rahul Gandhi undertook 54 personal foreign visits between 2004 and 2026. According to Patra, the destinations included the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Bahrain, Maldives, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman.
Patra further alleged that the expenses incurred on these trips were significantly higher than Rahul Gandhi’s declared income. Referring to election affidavits and financial disclosures, he claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s total declared income over the last ten assessment years stood at around ₹11 crore, while the estimated expenditure on his foreign visits was close to ₹60 crore.
The BJP questioned the source of funding for these international trips and asked whether any foreign entities were involved in financing them. The party described the matter as one linked to transparency and national interest.
Highlighting a specific example, Sambit Patra claimed that during a Southeast Asia trip in 2015, approximately ₹4.5 crore was spent, while Rahul Gandhi’s declared annual income for that year was reportedly ₹86.55 lakh. He alleged that the gap between the declared income and travel expenditure raised serious questions.
According to the BJP leader, Rahul Gandhi’s trips involved business-class travel, luxury hotel stays, chauffeur-driven vehicles, and accompanying staff members. Patra stated that the party’s calculations were based on “mid-grade” expenditure estimates to maintain realism.
The BJP also questioned whether Rahul Gandhi had obtained all necessary permissions required for foreign travel as a Member of Parliament. The party demanded clarity regarding the funding sources behind the visits.
So far, there has been no official response from the Indian National Congress or Rahul Gandhi regarding the allegations made by the BJP.
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