Protest against no invite to top leaders: Indian opposition to boycott Trump dinner

ISLAMABAD: The visiting US President Donald Trump will not be able to shake hands with major Indian opposition Congress Party leaders during his stay in the Indian capital, as Leader of the Opposition in Rajiah Sabha Dr. Manmohan Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have announced to boycott the dinner being hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtarpati Bhavan in New Delhi today (Tuesday).

Sources said former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh will not attend the official banquet. Singh had earlier accepted the invite but expressed his inability to attend the same today.

He has conveyed his regret to the president’s office for not being able to attend the banquet. The Congress is peeved at the Modi government’s move to not allow its top leaders a meeting with the visiting US President, as has been the tradition.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad are also skipping the president’s banquet in protest over the party’s top leaders not being extended an invitation.

The refusal to attend the banquet comes as a mark of protest from the party leaders as Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi was not invited to attend the dinner party.

On Monday, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said he will skip the president’s banquet in protest over the party’s top leaders not being extended an invitation.

“Trump is coming here. India will host a grand dinner for him, but the Opposition is not invited. Why Sonia Gandhi ji is not invited for dinner with Trump. In Howdy Modi event, both Republican and democrats shared the stage but here only Modi will be with Trump. What kind of democracy is this?” Chowdhury said.

He also raised question over the need for spending crores of rupees for welcoming the US President just for 36 hours.

“What is the need to spend crore of rupees from the government’s treasury? People living in slums are being forced to hide or shift in order to make Trump happy. Is this the right behaviour? Gujarat was developed by Modi as a model for others, but poor are being exploited there. We will protest against Modi government,” he said.