Opposition MPs demand Hardeep Puri's resignation over alleged links with Epstein

New Delhi: The Opposition MPs on Friday staged a protest outside the Makar Dwar in the Parliament House complex while demanding the resignation of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who is under fire after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned his links with the infamous Jeffrey Epstein.

MPs from across the opposition parties held placards reading "Who's grip, who's choke" during the demonstration.

This comes after Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, claimed he has verified information linking Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to the recently released Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.

Addressing reporters, the Rae Bareli MP questioned why Ambani, whose name reportedly appeared in the Epstein-related files, has not been jailed. "I have said that I will authenticate the data I have. There are Department of Justice files on Epstein naming Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani."
He further claimed that there was pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US nuclear deal and criticised the government's handling of sensitive issues.

Responding to Gandhi's remarks, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hit back at Rae Bareli MP and dismissed the allegations as baseless, describing them as "elements of buffoonery" and having "entertainment value."
Later that day, soon after Gandhi's remarks, Puri addressed a press conference at the BJP headquarters. Puri criticised Gandhi for walking out of the Lok Sabha after delivering his speech.

"We have a youth leader (Rahul Gandhi) who placed a few things before the Parliament today. He has a habit of making baseless allegations. There are two kinds of leaders: those who assume responsibility in the political system and dedicate their lives to social service, transforming the country, and those who devote their lives and ensure that, during their lifetime, the country moves from the 10th-largest economy to the 3rd-largest," Puri said.

Mocking Gandhi, the Union Minister added, "What Rahul Gandhi does has a lot of entertainment value! On one hand, you have leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming the country and work around the clock, and then you have elements of buffoonery."

Puri clarified that any contact he had with Epstein was limited to official interactions over eight years and had no connection to the sexual abuse allegations.

"These facts are known in the public domain. Three million emails have been released. I was in New York for eight years, from May 2009, when I was appointed India's Ambassador to the UN. In 2017, I became Minister. There are references to possibly three or four meetings in eight years. Any contact I had with him has no connection to the serious allegations of sexual abuse filed by victims," he explained.