Hardeep Puri’s counterattack on Rahul Gandhi’s Epstein allegation, Leader of Opposition left the House without listening to the reply

New Delhi, 11 February. Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday hit back at the allegations of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, saying that Rahul Gandhi has made baseless allegations by taking his name in the Parliament and this has been his old habit.

Rahul Gandhi had raised the issue of Hardeep Puri’s alleged links with Jeffrey Epstein in Parliament. Puri termed these allegations as ‘baseless’ and said that Rahul Gandhi walked out of the House without hearing the reply. He said, ‘Today a young leader put forth some points in Parliament. He has a habit of making baseless allegations.

During the press conference held at BJP headquarters, Hardeep Puri mentioned two types of leaders without naming them. He said, ‘There are those leaders who take responsibility, serve the country and take the country forward. And others, who sometimes come to the country and go out before getting a reply in the Parliament. Puri said that Rahul Gandhi left the House after his speech and did not listen to the reply.

LIVE: Union Minister Shri @HardeepSPuri addresses press conference at BJP headquarters New Delhi.

— BJP (@BJP4India) February 11, 2026

On Rahul Gandhi’s question as to who introduced him to Jeffrey Epstein, Puri said that information about his professional work is public. He told that after retirement, he was associated with the International Peace Institute (IPI), where he was the Secretary General. At that time a former Australian Prime Minister was the head of that institution.

Puri said that during that time he had professional meetings with many international personalities, including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. He clarified that on November 13, 2014, he had written an email to Hoffman, in which Epstein was copied (CC). At that time he was a private citizen.

Mention of meeting Rahul Gandhi in Parliament

The Union Minister also told that during the Constitution Day program on November 26, 2025, Rahul Gandhi had come to him in the Central Hall of the Parliament and winked and said that your name has come up at an interesting place. Puri said, ‘I asked him would you like to know the truth? And then I also sent him information about this. Puri said that he had sent notes to Rahul Gandhi to explain the entire matter, yet his name was mentioned in the Parliament in the context of the Epstein file.

It is noteworthy that a heated debate is going on in the Parliament between BJP and Congress on this issue. However, the government has termed Congress allegations as baseless.