New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday stepped up attack on Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri Remarks on his alleged links to disgraced financiers Jeffrey Epstein.Party leader Pawan Khera asked six tough questions and accused the minister of downplaying the seriousness of Epstein’s crimes.Quarrel escalates after Puri responds to Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhisaid he met Epstein “three or four times” in a “professional capacity” over eight years and that the details had entered the public domain after the release of “three million emails”.Speaking about his attack, Khera pointed to an alleged email exchange from October 4, 2014, which was part of documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice.Speaking of how the alleged interaction began, he wrote in a post on You, my friend, make things happen. Any suggestions? Epstein responded: “Tell him you will be organizing a trip for him to India to meet with tech people and social network experts.”Kayla then asked six questions:

He also added a postscript, which read: “It was almost surreal to watch Hardeep lose his cool and stutter in anger. It’s hard to believe that this is the man who once represented India as a diplomat – what a dramatic fall in stature!”In another post, Kayla accused Puri of making light of Epstein’s conviction.“Is he just trying to downplay Epstein’s crimes? In 2008, he said, Epstein admitted to ‘ soliciting favors from underage women.'” That’s it? “Minor woman” means a minor. Basically a child. And then you reduce the sexual exploitation of children to “nothing more”? Epstein faced more than just rumors. He pleaded guilty and was convicted in a Florida court. The crime has been legally established. Yet you say ‘many of you have questions’.‘What to doubt – his own confession? ” he wrote. The parliamentary leader strongly criticized what he said were attempts to downplay the seriousness of Epstein’s conviction and questioned the minister’s comments on the issue.He wrote: “Did God himself have to come down from the sky to confirm Epstein’s guilt to you? It is deeply disturbing to hear an Indian federal minister talk so nonchalantly about sex crimes against minors. Public office demands moral clarity, not minimizing abuse. Do us a favor, keep this monster at home and never defend such crimes against women and children!”Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Puri accused Gandhi of making “baseless accusations” and said his remarks in Parliament had “comical elements” and “entertainment value”.Clarifying his position, Puri said, “There was reference to possibly three or four meetings over eight years… Any contact I had with him was not related to the serious allegations of sexual abuse made by the victim.” “My interactions had nothing to do with it,” he added, stressing that the meetings were related to his work as India’s ambassador to the United Nations and later engagement with the International Peace Institute.The controversy started after Rahul Gandhi claimed that he had “verified information” and claimed that “the Department of Justice has documents regarding Epstein naming Hardeep Puri”. The exchange has since triggered a bitter political standoff between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party.