Kabul, August 28
Member of Parliament and scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family Rahul Gandhi today said that the Press was reading too much into his visit to Kabul with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and dismissed allegations that he was seeking to derive political mileage from his visit to the Afghan capital. In an interview to NDTV which was filmed by ANI, the heir apparent of the Gandhi family said TV correspondents tend to see too much meaning into innocuous events.
“All of you (the media) tend to read too much about this visit,” Mr Gandhi said
When asked as to how he chose to be part of the official delegation, Rahul, dressed in a formal gray suit and tie, said while lunching with the Prime Minister in New Delhi, one day, Dr Singh extended the invitation which he gladly accepted.
“I was having lunch with him (Dr Manmohan Singh) one day, and he told me he was going to Kabul. I have always had a fascination about Afghanistan. So, I inquired about the place and the Prime Minister said why don’t you come along,” said Rahul
Rahul has a bullet proof car and a posse of guards around him as has other members of the rather small Indian official delegation.
When he was told of his grandmother Indira Gandhi’s visit to Kabul in 1976, Rahul said though he was keen to move around the city, he was unable to go out and explore Kabul as he would like due to security restrictions but from what little he had managed to see, he could gather that “Afghanistan needed urgent help in human resource development and education, and India should provide the expertise.”
Rahul Gandhi accompanied the Prime Minister to almost all the engagements whether it was the meeting with Afghan president Hamid Karzai, joint press conference at the Presidential Palace, visit to Babur’s tomb, inauguration of the Habibia School building and the foundation laying of the Indian Chancery building.
External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan seemed to be answering questions that Rahul asked at the venues.
— ANI
