By Admin 
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi made several allegations against Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri while referring to the Epstein files during the budget session on Wednesday (11 February 2026). Responding to this, Hardeep Puri said that he (Rahul Gandhi) has a habit of making baseless allegations. According to the Union Minister, he had met Jeffrey Epstein while being part of a delegation from the International Peace Institute (IPI). He said, ‘I had no interest in Epstein’s activities. He called me two-faced.
What did Hardeep Puri say about Epstein files?
Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi, he said that the young leader should know that the Epstein files are related to wrongdoings and criminal cases. The Union Minister said, ‘There are allegations in the files that Epstein had an island, where he used to do immoral things. Those victims have filed cases against the authorities. My conversation had nothing to do with it.
Hardeep Singh Puri said, ‘Congress leader Supriya Shrinet raised the question in an email that who do I think introduced Hardeep Puri to Epstein? These facts are publicly available. 30 lakh emails have been released. I lived in New York for eight years, starting in May 2009 when I took charge as India’s Ambassador to the United Nations. I became a minister in 2017. There is mention of meetings with Epstein perhaps three or four times in eight years.
PM Modi is not under pressure: Hardeep Singh Puri
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was under pressure regarding the India-US trade deal. On this, Hardeep Singh Puri said, ‘The Prime Minister is not under pressure. I have worked with the Prime Minister, this is my ninth year. PM’s mind is not made to feel pressure. He remains calm all the time, many of us work 18 hours a day, he works even more than that.
The Union Minister said, ‘He (PM Modi) is continuously working, thinking and running to change the country. I think the young leader (Rahul Gandhi) is not able to tolerate this and that is why he comes to Parliament and gives statements and then runs away from the situation.