New Delhi: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday rejected allegations levelled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, terming them an “attempt to malign” him.
Responding to reports linking his name to US financier Jeffrey Epstein, Puri said his interaction with Epstein was limited and took place only as part of a delegation of the International Peace Institute (IPI).
Clarifying his position, Puri said that during his eight-year tenure in New York, he met Epstein only three or four times. He added that Epstein had even described him as “two-faced” because his views did not align with his own.
Launching a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, Puri said the Congress leader had “dialled the wrong number this time.” He argued that as a diplomat, he had to engage with a wide range of individuals in an official capacity.
He cited an instance of having held talks with LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran in the past, adding that such meetings did not imply endorsement of their views.
