New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday intensified its attack on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning the funding behind his frequent foreign visits and alleging a major mismatch between his declared income and travel expenditure.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, BJP spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra claimed that Rahul Gandhi had undertaken 54 personal foreign trips over the past 22 years, excluding official parliamentary or government delegations.
Patra alleged that around Rs 60 crore was spent on these overseas travels between 2004 and 2026. According to the BJP, Gandhi travelled to countries including Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Vietnam, Singapore, Qatar, Bahrain, the Maldives and the UAE.
In September-October 2025, Rahul Gandhi travelled to South America. A total estimated expenditure of ₹5.5 crore was incurred on these visits. There is no record of who funded these expenses.
In September 2025, one visit was not declared publicly and was undertaken quietly. An… pic.twitter.com/GwsKjdrUdC
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 14, 2026
BJP Demands Transparency Over Travel Funding
The BJP said the issue was not about travel itself but about transparency regarding the source of funds used for these visits.
Patra alleged that while many of Gandhi’s tours were publicly known through photographs, event schedules and parliamentary records, the financial trail behind them remained unclear.
“Who is funding these trips? Who is paying for this luxury global lifestyle?” the BJP leader asked during the media briefing.
The BJP also claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s declared income over the last decade stood at nearly Rs 11 crore, while the estimated spending on foreign visits was several times higher.
Patra cited a Southeast Asia tour covering Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia, claiming the trip alone was estimated to cost around Rs 4.5 crore.
मैं कांग्रेस से बहुत ही जिम्मेदारी के साथ राहुल गांधी की ओमान यात्रा पर 4 सवाल पूछना चाहता हूं।
1 – क्या आप मई 3 के आसपास Oman गए थे?
2- ये ट्रिप किसी विदेशी ने होस्ट की या भारतीय ने?
3- अगर किसी विदेशी ने होस्ट की है, तो अप्रूवल लेटर की एक कॉपी दिखा दीजिए…
4- यदि ये यात्रा… pic.twitter.com/SzRM9Q4iIj— BJP (@BJP4India) May 14, 2026
BJP Raises FCRA, Tax Disclosure Questions
Escalating its attack, the BJP questioned whether foreign entities had funded any of the trips and demanded clarity on legal disclosures.
The ruling party said that if foreign funding was involved, relevant approvals under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should be made public. It also questioned whether such expenses were reflected in tax returns and foreign exchange disclosures if privately financed.
The BJP further referred to some recent overseas visits, including a reported Oman trip in 2026, alleging that there was little public information available regarding the itinerary and expenditure details.
Congress Hits Back, Calls BJP ‘Diversionary’
The Congress strongly rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of trying to divert attention from pressing national issues.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the ruling party was attempting to shift focus away from economic concerns, unemployment and foreign policy challenges.
Ramesh also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the government was using personal attacks to avoid accountability on governance and diplomacy.
Political Heat Rises Ahead of Key Battles
The controversy has triggered a fresh political face-off between the BJP and Congress ahead of crucial parliamentary confrontations. While the BJP has repeatedly criticised Rahul Gandhi’s foreign travels in the past, this marks one of its strongest public attacks over the alleged funding and expenditure linked to those visits.
