Deoghar (Jharkhand) [India], September 10 (ANI): BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday targeted Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, questioning why the Congress leader should not face a foreign travel ban and the termination of his parliamentary membership, as he cited a purported letter by first Prime Minister Nehru's regarding Communist ideology.

Referring to the 1955 letter, Dubey claimed that Nehru himself equated Communist ideology with 'treason' and linked it to Rahul Gandhi's foriegn travels.

'According to Nehru ji's words, shouldn't Rahul Gandhi ji's membership in Parliament be terminated, alongside stopping his foreign travel? Communist ideology means treason; speaking against the government abroad means treason. Jawaharlal Nehru ji had refused to give a scholarship to the renowned historian Irfan Habib ji in 1955,' he said on X. 

https://x.com/nishikant_dubey/status/2097880436609630483?s=20

'Speaking against India in alliance with foreign powers and indirectly supporting Pakistan is an act of treason. Imposing a travel ban on Rahul Gandhi's foreign trips is fully constitutional,' he said on X. 

Reiterating his stance while speaking to reporters later, Dubey questioned why the benchmark set by India's first Prime Minister should not apply to Gandhi today.

'If we accept Nehru ji's letter as the benchmark-establishing that anyone speaking against the nation abroad is anti-national, and that adherents of Communist ideology are particularly dangerous anti-nationals-then on that basis, why shouldn't Rahul Gandhi be barred from going abroad, and why shouldn't his parliamentary membership be terminated?' Dubey said.

The BJP has consistently accused Gandhi of 'defaming' India on international platforms during his overseas visits.

Dubey's latest attack also comes months after he backed a Privilege Motion moved by BJP MP Anurag Thakur against Gandhi during the Parliament Monsoon Session. Criticising the Congress leader's parliamentary conduct, Dubey asserted that the opposition party's leadership has 'lost its senses' after twelve consecutive years out of power, alleging that Gandhi has a long-standing history of making unparliamentary and baseless claims. (ANI)