New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri delivered a scathing rebuttal to Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday after Gandhi attempted to link the Minister to Jeffrey Epstein. Puri dismissed the allegations as “baseless” fabrication by a Leader of the Opposition. He accused Rahul of walking out of the House without listening to the answers.
Addressing the House after Gandhi’s speech, Puri did not hold back, painting a stark contrast between two types of political figures. Without initially naming Gandhi, Puri described “responsible leaders” who dedicate their lives to transforming India from the world’s 10th-largest economy to its 3rd-largest.
#WATCH | On Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the House, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says, “…Epstein Files, the Yuva Neta should know, are about wrongdoing, criminal offences. The Epstein Files are about charges that he had an island where he used to take people to… pic.twitter.com/v8jnqpR6kA
— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026
He then pivoted to a sharp critique of Gandhi’s parliamentary conduct, labelling him a leader who “occasionally comes to the country” and engages in what he suggested was hit-and-run politics.
“And then there are other leaders who occasionally come to the country, and when they come to the Parliament, they walk out of the House when someone gives them a substantive reply and doesn’t listen to them. He left after his own speech today…” the Union Minister said.
“He has a habit of making baseless allegations,” Puri said, adding, “He left after his own speech today… walking out of the House when someone gives a substantive reply.”
Puri’s 2014 Email Jeffrey Epstine
The core of the controversy involves a 2014 email mentioned by Gandhi. Puri provided a detailed timeline to debunk the narrative of personal ties to Epstein, citing public records and his professional career after retiring from the foreign service.
How did Puri’s name come up in the Epstein files?
Responding to Rahul’s allegations of Puri’s links with Epstein files, the minister said that after a few months of his retirement, he joined the International Peace Institute (IPI) as Secretary General. At the time, the organisation was headed by a former Australian Prime Minister (Kevin Rudd).
Puri clarified that his professional engagements involved global leaders in technology and policy. He revealed that on November 13, 2014, he sent an email to Reid Hoffman, the billionaire founder of LinkedIn. Puri explained that while Jeffrey Epstein was copied (CC’d) on that specific email, the communication was directed at Hoffman.
‘Check my website,’ says Puri
Puri challenged the opposition to do their homework before bringing international scandals into the well of the House. “Has anyone seen my website?” he asked, noting that all his professional associations and the details of his work with the IPI have been in the public domain for years.
The exchange comes amid the ongoing friction between the BJP and Congress regarding the Epestine files in the parliament. While the opposition has attempted to use the “Epstein” name to rattle the treasury benches, the government has moved swiftly to frame these charges as a sign of “unfounded” desperation.