Congress MP Shashi Tharoor receives invitation to state banquet for Putin [Photo: X]
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, December 4, for a two-day state visit. He received a red-carpet welcome from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Palam Airport.
The visit included private and bilateral meetings, carpool diplomacy, and high-level discussions at Hyderabad House. During the visit, a state banquet was hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu in honour of Putin.
However, the banquet also became a political talking point. Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge were not invited. At the same time, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor received an invitation.
Neither Rahul Gandhi nor Mallikarjun Kharge received invitations to meet the Russian president at the state banquet. Congress leaders voiced surprise over the decision. They argued that traditionally, Opposition leaders were included in meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries.
Rahul Gandhi described the exclusion as a sign of “insecurity” and questioned why senior opposition voices were sidelined. Several Congress members criticized the government for not following established diplomatic norms.
Shashi Tharoor confirmed receiving the invitation and said he would “definitely” attend. “I don’t know about the Leader of the Opposition not being invited, and I am not aware of the basis on which invitations were issued,” he said, adding that he felt “honoured to be invited.”
Tharoor recently led a multi-party delegation to discuss India’s stand on zero-tolerance for terrorism and the details of Operation Sindoor. His invitation reflects his active involvement in parliamentary diplomacy and foreign affairs discussions.
According to multiple reports:
Upon receiving the invitation, Tharoor said: “I don’t know on what basis invitations are issued, but I will certainly attend.”
He also called the exclusion of Opposition leaders from meeting foreign dignitaries “inappropriate,” expressing his regret over what he viewed as a break with earlier practice.
Rahul Gandhi earlier criticized the government for sidelining Opposition voices. He argued that in past administrations — under administrations led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh — it was customary for foreign dignitaries to meet the Leader of Opposition during state visits.
He called the shift a sign of “insecurity,” questioning the government’s intention to sideline dissenting viewpoints even during major diplomatic visits.
Some Congress members echoed the criticism. They said skipping key party leaders from such high-profile diplomatic events signals a concerning change in protocol.
Government sources have rejected claims of a deliberate snub. They clarified that invitation decisions rest solely with the visiting delegation — in this case, the Russian side — and not the Indian government.
They pointed out that there is no official protocol mandating that Opposition leaders must be invited to all foreign-dignitary events. The Ministry of External Affairs, they said, only facilitates meetings when asked by the visiting delegation.
This incident puts a spotlight on India’s diplomatic norms and the role of political inclusivity during state visits. It raises questions: Should Opposition leaders always be part of such events? Does diplomatic protocol need clearer guidelines to ensure balanced representation?
With Tharoor attending the banquet but senior opposition figures left out, India may see renewed debate on how foreign-dignitary visits are handled — especially when political representation is involved.
