I met Epstein...: Puri responds to Rahul's charge

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday rejected allegations levelled by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during his speech on the Budget, accusing him of making 'baseless' claims and misrepresenting facts related to India's international engagements and references to the so-called 'Epstein Files'.

Responding to Gandhi's remarks that India's international interactions were under some kind of pressure, Puri said nearly 50 per cent of India's GDP was linked to the external sector, including exports, imports and remittances, making trade agreements and FTAs essential for the country.

"Which other country, in such a short period of time, has pulled off nine trade agreements?" he asked.

On references to an industrialist allegedly named in the Epstein Files and questions over his arrest, Puri said such issues were being wrongly linked.

"Whether he is arrested or not is not the issue. How are you linking these things?" he said.

Addressing claims raised by Congress leader Supriya Shrinate in an email about his alleged introduction to Jeffrey Epstein, Puri said the facts were in the public domain and that three million emails had been released.

He said he served as India's Ambassador to the United Nations from 2009 to 2017 and later joined the International Peace Institute after retirement.

"As part of a delegation, I met Mr Epstein on a few occasions. The interaction had nothing to do with the criminal charges that later emerged," he said, adding that the Epstein Files pertained to serious criminal offences and victims' cases.

Referring to a 2014 email about a meeting with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, Puri said he was then a private citizen promoting India's economic potential.

He accused Gandhi of having a 'habit of making baseless allegations' and said the Congress leader walked out of the House after delivering his speech without hearing the reply.  -- ANI