Congress MLA’s US trip sparks row days after PM Modi’s appeal on foreign travel

Congress MLA from Fatehabad, Balwan Singh Daulatpuria, has come under criticism after travelling to the United States days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to avoid non-essential foreign trips amid rising global economic pressures.

According to details shared by the legislator on social media, Daulatpuria left for the US on Thursday and is expected to remain there till May 28. Sources close to the MLA said he travelled to attend the birthday celebration of a friend and the wedding ceremony of the friend’s son.

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In a Facebook post addressed to his supporters, Daulatpuria said he would be on a foreign visit to the United States from May 15 to May 28 and assured people that his office team would continue handling public grievances and constituency-related work during his absence.

He said residents could continue contacting his office for urgent matters and thanked supporters for their trust and cooperation.

The BJP reacted sharply to the Congress MLA’s foreign visit, alleging that he had ignored the Prime Minister’s appeal made in the national interest. BJP district president Praveen Joda said the legislator appeared more focused on personal engagements than larger national concerns.

Daulatpuria is a two-time MLA from Fatehabad. He was first elected in 2014 on an INLD ticket and later won the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections as a Congress candidate, defeating BJP nominee Dudaram by 2,252 votes.

During a programme in Telangana on May 10, Prime Minister Modi had urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, avoid gold purchases and postpone non-essential foreign travel in view of rising global economic pressures and increasing fuel prices. He had said overseas trips related to weddings, holidays and personal reasons should be deferred in the national interest.

Government figures cited during the discussion indicated that Indians spent around Rs 2.72 lakh crore on foreign travel in 2023-24, while the expenditure reportedly rose to Rs 3.65 lakh crore in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Daulatpuria’s private secretary, Dheeraj Sharma, said the MLA travelled to the US on a friend’s special request to attend the wedding function and is expected to return on May 28.