Rahul Gandhi on US Trip Slams Failed Democracy

Rahul Gandhi in US: ‘Yatra Was Forced Due to Failed Democracy’

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, currently on a three-day visit to the US, described the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Nyay Yatra as responses to the failure of democratic institutions in India. Speaking at a press conference in Washington DC, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha explained that the Yatra was politically necessary as the usual democratic processes were no longer functioning.

“We were forced politically to take out the Yatra because all the instruments that normally work in a democracy were just not working,” Gandhi said, emphasizing that the party felt the need to connect directly with the people, which resonated deeply.

He elaborated that the journey was both a political necessity and a personal goal, reflecting his long-standing desire to walk across the country to understand its diverse issues.

Gandhi outlined the ideological battle between the Congress and the ruling BJP, presenting it as a conflict between two fundamentally different visions for India’s future. He characterized the Congress’s vision as pluralistic and inclusive, protecting the rights of all citizens, while contrasting it with the BJP’s more centralized and rigid approach.

Discussing the INDIA bloc, a coalition of 26 opposition parties, Gandhi stressed that its vision would be vastly different from the BJP’s agenda, which he described as centralizing and monopolizing. He also emphasized the need for the US and India to refocus on manufacturing to reclaim their positions as global producers, highlighting the economic advantages of such a shift.

On Tuesday, addressing the Indian community in Herndon, Virginia, Gandhi stated that the fear that gripped the nation before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has now dissipated. He dismissed the previous image of Prime Minister Modi as outdated.

Gandhi criticized the RSS, accusing it of labeling certain states as inferior due to its limited understanding of India’s diversity. He reiterated these remarks in Texas, saying the BJP’s inability to secure a majority in recent elections had diminished the aura of fear around the ruling party.