Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi wave to gathering during Congress ‘Kisan Mahachaupal’ at Jawahar Chowk, in Bhopal on February 24, 2026. Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Jitu Patwari also present.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Congress on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Israel, with the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi asking, “on whose orders the Prime Minister has gone to sign a deal against the country’s interest”.
In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said he had challenged the Prime Minister to cancel the Indo-U.S. trade deal, but Mr. Modi had quietly left for Israel.
“Narendra “Surrender” Modi, it’s been more than 24 hours since I challenged you to cancel the U.S. trade deal— and once again, you’ve quietly slipped off to Israel. At least once, you’ve already ‘danced and sung’ in Israel at Epstein’s behest—so this time, on whose orders will you return after striking a deal against the country’s interests?” Mr. Gandhi asked. He was referring to emails released as part of the so-called “Epstein Files”, in which the convicted American sex offender, late Jeffrey Epstein, claimed that then U.S. President Donald Trump played a role in the Prime Minister’s July 2017 visit to Israel.
However, on January 31, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the contents of the emails as “trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal”.
Despite such denials, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday cited purported email exchanges between Union Minister Hardeep Puri, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and industrialist Anil Ambani and alleged that the foundation of the India-Israel relationship was laid by Epstein.
“Jeffrey Epstein is a notorious sex offender for the common people, but a hero for the Modi government’s foreign policy. Even after death, Jeffrey Epstein lives on in the Modi government’s decisions and policies,” Mr. Khera alleged at a press conference, displaying a big movie-like parody poster titled ‘Jeffrey Ne Bana Di Jodi’ (Jeffrey created the relationship).
On January 4, 2017, Mr. Khera claimed that Mr. Puri emailed Epstein seeking a meeting, which was scheduled for January 6. “Immediately after this, Epstein emails another person, Deepak Chopra, and inquires about Anil Ambani. Finally, Epstein and Anil Ambani met on February 21, 2017. The question is on whose signal did Epstein set out to find Anil Ambani with someone else’s help,” he asked.
Mr. Khera alleged that several emails were exchanged between Epstein and Mr. Ambani and claimed that Epstein introduced Mr. Ambani to the former Israeli Prime Minister through an email on February 23, 2017. And the industrialist and Mr. Barak exchanged emails regarding India. “The framework of India’s Israel strategy was decided like this…Ehud Barak, Jeffery Epstein, Hardeep Puri…this is how our foreign policy was shaped,” he alleged.
Neither the government nor the BJP had responded to Mr. Khera’s claims.
Earlier, Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh said India had taken a moral position on Palestine and claimed that it was a different era. “Now the Indian Prime Minister is brazenly embracing the Prime Minister of Israel, who has reduced Gaza to rubble and dust and is orchestrating the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. When the entire world is critical of his ‘dear friend’ Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr. Modi will be displaying moral cowardice,”Mr. Ramesh alleged.
“I hope that the Hon Prime Minister @narendramodi ji mentions the genocide of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza while addressing the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and demands justice for them,” Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a post on X, adding, “India has stood for what is right throughout our history as an independent nation. We must continue to show the light of truth, peace and justice to the world.”
Published – February 25, 2026 11:41 pm IST
