Tag: RahulGandhiInUsa

Amid growing concerns over the state of Indian democracy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed journalists at the National Press Club in Washington. Gandhi emphasized that India’s democracy is a global public good, and its collapse would have severe ramifications for the rest of the world. He noted that it is the responsibility of Indians to safeguard their democracy but added that the international community should also play a role in preventing its collapse. During the one-hour-long interaction, he addressed various issues ranging from India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war, the BJP’s politics of hate, and the effort to build a united opposition before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi asserted that a united opposition would defeat the BJP on its own. He also expressed confidence that the BJP would be decimated in the next three or four Assembly elections. When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming state visit to the United States, Gandhi declined to prejudge the matter, but emphasized the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

With regards to the Congress’s stance on India’s relationship with Russia, Gandhi made it clear that his party’s position would be very similar to the BJP. He reiterated that it was his party’s responsibility to fight the battle for democracy in India and to prevent a slide into authoritarianism. “Indian democracy is a global public good,” he said, “because India is large enough that a collapse in democracy in India will affect…will have an impact on the world.”

On countering the BJP’s propaganda going into the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, Gandhi admitted that his party had been struggling before but insisted that the Bharat Jodo Yatra had completely changed the narrative. He claimed that the BJP had done everything to stop the yatra from succeeding but that he resonated with the people, even those from the BJP, adding that he had received positive comments from a BJP spokesperson.

Addressing his recent disqualification as an MP, Gandhi claimed that it came days after he criticized the Adani Group. However, he reiterated that it was a “gift” to serve the people and that the Congress was committed to fighting the battle for democracy in India.

The interaction between Gandhi and the journalists led to sparring between Congress and BJP, with the ruling party accusing Gandhi of calling M.A. Jinnah’s Muslim League a secular party. However, the Congress hit back by accusing the BJP of peddling fake news and clarifying that their leader’s comment was about the Indian Union Muslim League, their ally in Kerala.

At a dinner meet hosted by Indian-American businessman Frank Islam, Gandhi expressed his confidence that the next three or four elections that the Congress would fight directly with the BJP would see the ruling party decimated. He noted that while the BJP has the instruments of noise, the majority of the Indian population does not support them.

Gandhi’s remarks underline the importance of Indian democracy not only for Indians but for the rest of the world. He emphasizes the need to fight the battle for democracy, prevent a slide into authoritarianism, and build a united opposition to defeat the BJP in future elections. Despite the BJP’s propaganda, Gandhi claims confidence in the Congress’s ability to resonate with the people and ultimately triumph at the ballot box.

Former president of the Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, during his address to the Indian diaspora at an event in California, the first stop of his U.S. visit, lauded the Indian diaspora for being ambassadors of the country and urged Indian students in United States to return to the country.

The United States and India need to work towards a vision, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said during a conversation themed on ‘The New Global Equilibrium’ hosted by the Center on Democracy, Development & the Rule of Law, Stanford University at CEMEX Auditorium on May 31.

Praising the Indian American community Gandhi said, “We think of our country, you are all our ambassadors. When America says Indian people are extremely intelligent, Indian people are masters of IT, Indian people are respectful – all these ideas that have come, they’ve come because of you, your actions, and your behavior. So, I thank you very much for that.”

“Thank you very much for holding up the Indian flag in America, showing the American people what it means to be Indian, respecting them, respecting their culture, learning from them, and also allowing them to learn from you. You make us all proud,” he added.

Responding to a question from a UC Berkeley student, who asked Gandhi to say a few words to the youth who hesitate to go back home at a time when the India’s youth and the wrestlers were being treated in an “undignified” manner, Gandhi said, “As a young person, your country needs you. Your skills and your energy will be very useful to your country so if you feel like going back, do go back and help out.”

Elaborating on the situation in India, Gandhi told the audience that what they see on the news from India is far away from the truth. “India is not what the media shows. The media likes to show, you know, a particular narrative. It likes to promote a particular narrative. That is actually not what is going on in India. It was very clear to me in the yatra.”

The former member of parliament also spoke at length of his experience during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the reason behind it. He stressed that India’s strength stems from its diversity and the only way to combat hate in the society is through love and affection. Gandhi also informed the gathering on his party’s stance on various political issues in India.

The session was moderated by CDDRL-affiliated scholar Dinsha Mistree. Gandhi said, “We have a population that is more than ready to work very hard. You have the technology, you have Silicon Valley. These two things need to be brought together, but it needs a vision. It needs to spark action. US and India need to work together towards this vision,” he added.

He added, “If you look at India as a manufacturing hub, it is dropping. Unemployment is rising. These are directly connected. It’s a hard thing to do. It’s much harder for the West to do it than for us. But, it needs to be done.” Gandhi is in the US on a week-long tour during which he is scheduled to meet the Indian diaspora, academics, students, entrepreneurs and think tanks. He landed in San Francisco on May 30, and was in Washington, DC and New York as well. His visit concluded on June 4.