"Rahul Gandhi must answer why Kapil Sibal accepted Epstein-funded award": BJP's Pradeep Bhandari

Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 18 : BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Wednesday demanded answers from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding former Union Minister Kapil Sibal accepting an award reportedly funded by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while the Congress party was in government.
"Rahul Gandhi should answer that when the Congress party was in the government, why was his minister Kapil Sibal accepting awards funded by a sexual predator, Jeffrey Epstein?" Bhandari told ANI.
He alleged that Sam Pitroda, Congress's overseas department head and close associate of the Gandhi family, was "associated with the same circles" and questioned the nature of the Gandhi family's connections with Epstein.
"Sam Pitroda, a close associate of the Rahul Gandhi and Gandhi Vadra family, is connected to the same circle. What is the relationship of the Gandhi Vadra family and Rahul Gandhi's family with Jeffrey Epstein, that while being in the government, Kapil Sibal accepted that award?" Bhandari asked.
He further alleged that the period coincided with policy shifts during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and raised questions about possible lobbying.
"We got to see a policy shift in the Congress party in the UPA government. So, was Kapil Sibal doing the lobbying work for Jeffrey Epstein? Was Sam Pitroda doing the work of getting Jeffrey Epstein to meet the Gandhi Vadra family? The silence of Gandhi, Vadra family and Rahul Gandhi on this issue makes it clear that there is something wrong," Bhandari added.
The remarks come amid an escalating political war of words between the BJP and Congress over references to Sibal's name in a document related to Epstein.
Bhandari had earlier shared on social media what he claimed was a document listing Sibal among awardees at the 2010 International Awards Gala held in New York, organised by the Institute of International Education (IIE). He alleged that the award function was funded by Epstein and questioned whether external influence may have impacted decisions of the then Congress government.
"Were these coincidences, or did external influence of Epstein attempt to shape decisions of Congress govt. Rahul Gandhi should answer!" He also wrote, "Epstein -- Congress Government's Valentine!"
Sibal, who quit the Congress in 2022, is currently serving as an Independent member of the Rajya Sabha.
Congress, however, has dismissed the allegations as misleading. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera strongly refuted the claims, stating that the document being cited was a 59-page compilation titled "Calendar of Major Events, Openings, and Fundraisers," listing public events in New York that Epstein may have tracked.
According to Khera, Sibal's name appeared on page 55 in connection with an IIE event where he received the Stephen P. Duggan Award for Mutual Understanding in his capacity as India's Human Resource Development Minister in 2010. He maintained that the event was unrelated to Epstein and that Sibal was neither a guest of Epstein nor mentioned in any meeting logs or correspondence with him.
Khera accused BJP leaders, including Bhandari and party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, of selectively sharing screenshots to "manufacture a narrative" and divert attention from questions raised by Congress regarding Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's alleged interactions with Epstein.
Congress has also demanded the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, alleging he was unfit to remain in office due to his reported interactions with Epstein.