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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 64315, member: 636"] Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday for making negative statements about India while traveling abroad. Rijiju stated that Gandhi's position as one of the country's highest constitutional officeholders requires him to act more responsibly when representing the Indian Parliament overseas. The minister's comments followed Gandhi's South America trip, where he claimed systematic attacks threatened India's democratic foundations under the Modi government. Rijiju contrasted Gandhi's behavior with former opposition leaders from both major parties, and he noted that prominent figures such as L.K. Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sushma Swaraj, Jaswant Singh, and Arun Jaitley never criticized India while abroad. The minister recalled how Indira Gandhi refused to discuss domestic matters with foreign journalists after losing an election, but he said her grandson regularly speaks against the nation when traveling internationally. Rijiju expressed concern that foreign audiences might mistakenly believe Gandhi represents mainstream Indian opinion when they hear his speeches. The minister emphasized that Gandhi's statements about India's inability to provide global leadership damage the country's international reputation. Rijiju acknowledged that most Indians understand Gandhi does not represent the majority's views, but he worried that international audiences lack this context. The minister urged Gandhi to speak more sensibly when addressing foreign audiences, and he stressed the importance of maintaining national dignity while holding such a significant parliamentary position. [/QUOTE]

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