Hardeep Puri’s counterattack on Rahul Gandhi. Epstein Files Row Hardeep Puri vs Rahul Gandhi

Once again an issue related to international context is in discussion in Indian politics. There has been a heated exchange of words between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over allegations of his name appearing in documents related to American financier Jeffrey Epstein (Epstein Files). India-US trade deal has also been added to this dispute.

Union Minister Hardeep Puri on Thursday took issue with the allegations made by Rahul Gandhi and called him a ‘donkey’. He said this in response to the allegation made by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, while mentioning the name of Hardeep Puri in the Epstein files, had said that because of him the US-India trade agreement was affected.

Raga has a habit of making a mountain out of a molehill!

Speaking to NDTV, he claimed that he felt “awkward” when he met the notorious American financier and pedophile on a work-related topic. Puri further said, “I did not ask for meetings with Epstein. They were set up for me.” “The two meetings are not a mistake because of any relationship. I came out of it happy. I was not even a part of the government at that time.” Rahul Gandhi has a habit of ‘making a mountain out of a molehill’.

If you read the trade you will know what is right?

“Mr. Rahul Gandhi, if he had only read that (text of the India-US agreement) he would have known what has happened in the trade deal. For a country like India, whose 50 per cent of GDP is in the external sector, the trade deal was very important.”

What allegations did Rahul Gandhi make?

After his address in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said that he has information in which some Indian names are mentioned in the files related to Epstein of the US Department of Justice. He also claimed that due to these references, pressure may have been put on India in the India-US trade agreement. However, no independent official confirmation of these claims has yet been made publicly available.

Hardeep Puri’s answer

According to NDTV report, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri denied these allegations. He said that he had met Jeffrey Epstein in some formal meetings, but those meetings were pre-arranged and not of a personal nature. He clarified that he was not part of the government at that time and the allegation of any kind of improper relationship is baseless. Puri also said that it is not appropriate to link the trade agreement to any personal reference.

Foreign Ministry’s response

The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson also rejected the mention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2017 visit to Israel in a purported email that surfaced recently. The spokesperson said that any reference other than an official visit cannot be considered reliable and such references should not be considered authentic.

What are the Epstein files?

Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier who was accused of serious allegations of sexual exploitation of minor girls and human trafficking. He died in prison in 2019, which was officially declared a suicide. In recent months, the US Justice Department has released millions of pages of documents and digital materials related to Epstein. This process is taking place under the “Epstein Files Transparency Act”, the purpose of which is to make government documents public. The names of many influential persons are recorded as references in these files. However, mere mention of name does not in itself equate to proof of guilt.

Context of India-US trade deal

Rahul Gandhi alleged that due to these alleged references, there could be pressure on India in the trade agreement. On the other hand, the government says that trade agreements are decided on the basis of economic interests and strategic partnership and not because of any personal reference. So far, no official document has emerged that establishes a direct connection between these two cases.

What is the legal status?

Mention of a name in the Epstein files does not automatically prove a crime. Under international law, independent investigation and evidence are required to confirm allegations. If concrete evidence comes to light against a citizen or official of any country, then the related legal process runs separately.

Facts between allegations and counter-allegations

In the present situation this matter has come to the fore in the form of political allegations and counter-allegations. Rahul Gandhi has raised questions from the public platform. Hardeep Puri has rejected these allegations. The Ministry of External Affairs has also rejected the related references. Until an official investigation or certified documents emerge, this topic is being seen within the scope of claims and reactions.