Rahul Gandhi's bike ride in Ladakh sparks BJP-Congress slugfest: ‘I challenge them to disclose…’

The photographs of Rahul Gandhi riding a bike to Pangong Lake in Ladakh has triggered a political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress party.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday complimented the Congress leader for promoting the “excellent roads” built in the Himalayan region under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Rijiju also posted a video on 'X', formerly Twitter, claiming to be from 2012 in which a series of sports utility vehicles can be seen navigating a makeshift road full of stones and boulders en route Pangong Tso in Ladakh.

"Thanks to Rahul Gandhi for promoting the excellent roads of Ladakh built by the Narendra Modi government,” Rijiju said in a post on 'X'.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on 'X', “To witness and spread the word about post-Article 370 developments in Leh and Ladakh, Shri Rahul Gandhi himself has taken a trip to the valley. We are elated and delighted to watch glimpses of his road trip.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera dared the BJP to disclose the tender details of the road on which Gandhi was seen riding a bike and said Hindi films shot in Ladakh before 2014 had shown the excellent roads. Calling the statements childish, Khera said the BJP wants to take credit for everything.

"I challenge them (BJP) to disclose the tender details of the road on which Rahul Gandhi was seen (riding a bike). They just want to take credit for everything," Khera told PTI.

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday rode a motorcycle from Leh to Pangong Lake in the Union Territory of Ladakh. He shared several pictures of his motorcycle expedition from Leh to Pangong on his social media account with a caption “On our way to Pangong lake, which my father used to say, is one of the most beautiful places in the world.”