Congress leaders decline invite to banquet for Donald Trump
New Delhi/IBNS: After Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to attend the banquet for Donald Trump hosted by President Ramnath Kovind, the floor leader of the principal opposition party in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, too, refused the invite today.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also decided to ignore the invitation to the dinner.
Apparently, the Congress leaders decided to refuse the invitation as Congress President Sonia Gandhi has not been invited.
Chowdhury told the media that no invitation was extended to his party’s president Sonia Gandhi and he could not attend the event for this reason.
Media reports said that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had earlier accepted the invitation, sent a message to the President's secretariat that he would not attend the banquet.
Mr Chowdhury had alleged that the "Opposition" was being ignored during Trump's visit whereas Republicans and Democrats shared the stage during 'Howdy Modi' event in US' Texas.
"Why Sonia Gandhi ji is not invited for dinner with Trump?" he had questioned and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not allowing the Opposition in the event, which according to him, is a travesty of democracy.
US President Donald Trump along with his wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday for a 36-hour long visit to India.
Post the 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad, the US President and the First Lady visited the Taj Mahal in Agra, after which they flew to the national capital where they will attend the grand banquet thrown by President Ramnath Kovind on Tuesday.
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