Rahul Gandhi partying at Kathmandu nightclub
A video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been going around on social media where he was seen enjoying himself in a nightclub in Nepal. People, on the hand, were more interested in the woman who accompanied him. The woman is Hou Yanqi, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal. Here is what we know about her.
Who is Hou Yanqi?
Yanqi is a Chinese diplomat serving as the Ambassador to Nepal. According to reports, she was born in Shanxi Province in China in March 1970.
Hou Yanqi was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic Of China to Nepal in 2018. Before holding her current position, she served as First Secretary and Director of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2009-12), Director of the Department of External Security Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2012-13), Counselor of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry Foreign Affairs (2013-15), Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2015-18).
Some controversies surrounding Yanqi
Experts believe that relations between India and Nepal have deteriorated in recent times since Yanqi became the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal. China has been investing in Nepal through targeted tourism, post-earthquake reconstruction as well as investing in the nation's a trade and energy resources.
Hou Yanqi was seen entering the Nepal government's Secretariat carrying scotch whiskies while visiting. She also tried to bribe the Minister of Employment, Rameshwar Roy Yadav. She was strongly criticized for this action by the Nepali Media.
Yanqi also was criticized by several Nepali journalists after she publicly bashed the then editor of Kathmandu Post, Anup Kafle, when he published an article titled 'China's secrecy has made coronavirus crisis much worse.' She stated, “The Kathmandu Post published an article with malicious intention, deliberately smeared the efforts of the Chinese government and people fighting against the new coronavirus pneumonia, and even viciously attacked the political system of China. We, hereby express our strong dissatisfaction and firm protest to it.”
BJP criticized Rahul Gandhi for partying with a Chinese diplomat in a video
Shashi Kumar, a social media co-convenor of UP BJP, was the first person to attack the Congress leader stating that Gandhi wrote about the pathetic state of the economy while partying with a Chinese diplomat. Another BJP leader Kapil Mishra sought to know whether Rahul was partying with Chinese 'agents' in Nepal.
Congress spokesperson defended its leader
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala defended Rahul Gandhi stating that he has gone to a friendly country, Nepal, to participate in a private marriage function of a friend. He also pointed out that the ruling party should concentrate on the pressing issues that the nation is facing currently, namely the coal crisis rather than attacking the opposition leader.
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