Modi-Shah's silence points to criminal indifference: Cong on Puri-Epstein pic

• Congress targets the Modi government over a purported photograph of Hardeep Puri with Jeffrey Epstein.

• Pawan Khera cites alleged emails and meetings to question Puri's account of their interactions.

• Congress demands answers and a probe, while linking the controversy to the proposed India-US trade deal.

The Congress on Wednesday, 21 October mounted a fresh attack on the Narendra Modi government over a purported photograph of Union minister Hardeep Puri with convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, accusing the prime minister and Union home minister Amit Shah of 'criminal indifference' to the allegations surrounding the minister's interactions with Epstein.

The party has been demanding Puri's resignation since earlier this year, citing his name in documents released in the United States in connection with Epstein. Puri has denied the allegations levelled against him by the Opposition, saying he met Epstein on a few occasions but had no involvement in the crimes for which the American was convicted.

Several Congress leaders and users on X shared an undated photograph, reportedly released by the US Department of Justice, that purportedly shows Puri sitting across a table from Epstein.

Congress general-secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal shared the image and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to act despite allegedly knowing about Puri's interactions with Epstein.

'Modi did nothing despite knowing fully well about Hardeep Puri's close ties with known international pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Truly disgusted by the latest revelations proving that Puri met Epstein in the same rooms where Epstein carried out his heinous crimes,' Venugopal said.

He alleged that the silence of Modi and Shah pointed to their 'criminal indifference' towards the allegations against a member of the Union cabinet. 'What can women expect from a government that shields and nurtures a man with close ties to the worst sexual predator known to human civilisation?' he said.

Venugopal also linked the controversy to the proposed India-US trade agreement, noting that US President Donald Trump had said the two countries were close to finalising a deal.

'There is also an urgent need for PM Modi to speak up on this issue, because US President Donald Trump has also declared that India and US are extremely close to signing a trade deal. Do these revelations have any bearings on the final contours of the deal?' he asked.

Congress questions Puri's account of Epstein interactions

Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera argued that the purported photograph had raised fresh questions about Puri's earlier defence that his meetings with Epstein took place as part of a delegation.

Puri has said he met Epstein on a few occasions and exchanged emails with him over several years, while maintaining that the interactions were unrelated to Epstein's criminal activities.

Khera alleged that the scale of the interactions was greater than Puri had acknowledged, citing correspondence published on the US Department of Justice's website.

'Puri claims 1-2 meetings and 3-4 emails over eight years. Quite a neat way to frame it. But those of us who went through the files diligently when they first surfaced have known all along that the story was far more extensive than he would have us believe. As per the Epstein Files on the US DoJ website, in the timeframe of only 3 years (2014-17), at least 62 emails back and forth have been shared between Epstein and Hardeep,' Khera said.

He further alleged that the two had held 14 meetings and had extensive interactions, including several one-on-one meetings.

'The recent photos have only strengthened our claims while questions persist: So, will the Union Petroleum Minister stop misleading the public and reveal the true extent of his interactions/collaboration with Epstein? Which of his many meetings with Epstein does his newly surfaced solo photograph capture?' Khera asked.

He also questioned the purpose of the meeting depicted in the photograph and demanded to know whether the government would investigate the minister's interactions with Epstein.

'Will the government of India show the moral courage of investigating this shameful involvement of its Union Minister with a convicted child sex trafficker,' Khera said.

The Congress's allegations and interpretation of the photograph have not, by themselves, established any involvement by Puri in Epstein's criminal activities.

Supriya Shrinate questions Modi's choice of ministers

Congress social media and digital platforms chairperson Supriya Shrinate also shared the photograph, questioning Puri's account of his interactions with Epstein. 'Didn't Hardeep Puri say he had never met Epstein one-on-one? What kind of people does Modi like and chooses to have around him?' she said.

She further alleged that the controversy reflected the BJP and the RSS's attitudes towards women. 'Do you need any more proof — why RSS and the right-wing can never ever respect and treat women as equals?' Shrinate said on X.

Congress Seva Dal chief Srinivas B.V. also criticised the government over the photograph. 'In any other democracy, forget Hardeep Epstein Puri, even the PM and his entire Cabinet would have resigned over such an international disgrace. But then, we have the BJP,' he said.

Puri had earlier acknowledged meeting Epstein

Earlier this year, Puri criticised Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for what he described as 'passing innuendo' against him. He acknowledged meeting Epstein on a few occasions but maintained that the interactions had nothing to do with the crimes committed by the convicted American sex offender.

The fresh Congress attack centres on whether the newly circulated photograph and the correspondence cited by the party are consistent with Puri's account of the extent and nature of his interactions with Epstein.

The photograph's date, precise circumstances and context were not established in the material cited by the Congress. The party has demanded greater disclosure from Puri and called for an investigation by the government.

With PTI inputs