'Rahul will root for democracy on US trip, won't hold back'
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 May, 2023 01:42 PM
Washington, May 25 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will focus on challenges faced by democracy around the world in his public interactions during an upcoming US visit and people close to him said that he will not hesitate to answer questions about the domestic situation in India, something that has previously drawn fierce backlash from critics at home.
Gandhi's trip is impelled "by a desire to raise our concern about democracy", said Sam Pitroda, a longtime US-based associate of the Gandhis and someone closely associated with the planning and execution of the Congress leader's visit.
"I think we have a moral responsibility to talk about the challenges confronting democracy all over the world - from Turkey to Hungary to Mexico to India and even here in the US," he said, adding: "We are for diversity and inclusion and we will talk about it."
Asked if Gandhi will talk about the situation in India, Pitroda said, "Yes, if he is asked about it."
Asked about the controversies that have followed remarks made by Gandhi abroad in previous instances, Pitroda said: "We have no control on them. They happen even when we say nothing."
Gandhi's remarks at an interaction with students at Britain's Cambridge University recently drew severe criticism from rival parties in India for, purportedly, raising seeking foreign intervention in India. Both the Congress leader and the party have maintained he did nothing of the sort.
Gandhi is expected to travel first to the west coast for interactions at Stanford University and members of the diaspora and then wind his way through Washington DC to New York on the east coast for more interactions with "institutions", as Pitroda put it, and the diaspora, which has been growing exponentially in numbers and financial and political clout and has, thus, been wooed by both the Congress and the BJP and indeed other political parties as well such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Gandhi is set to add his own name to another bit of family history on this trip when he attends a luncheon interaction with reporters at Washington DC's iconic National Press Club, which was first done by his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956, grandmother Indira Gandhi in 1966, and his father Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. Unlike them, however, he is not going there as Prime Minister.
The Congress leader arrives in the US after a spectacular showing in the Karnataka elections and a widely followed and talked about Bharat Jodo Yatra. But the trip was planned much in advance, Pitroda said, dismissing a suggestion that Gandhi's US trip was designed to ride this change in the fortunes of the party and the Congress leader.
"This trip is not intended to capitalize on the sudden boost in the fortunes of the Congress in elections, specially Karnataka or even Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha.
"Trips like these cannot be planned in 20 days," Pitroda said, adding, "Planning on this trip started a long time ago."
The other reason for the trip was to connect with the diaspora here. "There are 5 million Indian Americans here who are doing excellent work in all spheres of life and we want to recognise that," Pitroda said.
In the latest twist in the Air India urination incident, Shankar Mishra, accused of relieving himself on an elderly woman co-passenger while in a drunken state, on Friday sought to recant from any involvement in the episode and brazenly accused the victim of soiling her own seat. However, his attempt at evading any responsibility may not succeed as it leaves many questions unanswered.
The bus, carrying around 45 passengers, reportedly crashed headlong into the truck coming from the opposite direction and then overturned, resulting in the huge tragedy, said the police. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed shock and grief over the tragedy and announced a compensation of Rs.5-lakhs to the kin of all the deceased besides free medical treatment for all the injured victims.
While scanning the CCTV camera, the police found Chagan carrying the little girl. Both the families live on a footpath. On Wednesday, police picked up the accused and inquired about the girl. The body was recovered on Wednesday and sent for post-mortem. The accused has been detained and will be arrested once his corona report is negative.
The unknown caller first called shortly after 4 p.m. to warn that he had planted a 'time-bomb' in the school premises and abruptly disconnected. A few minutes later, he again called up and repeated the threat even as the panicked school authorities approached the police.
According to the airline spokesperson, SpiceJet flight SG 8133 (Delhi-Bengaluru) on January 10 was delayed on account of weather disruption in the network and the aircraft's previous rotation. As a result of this, the incoming crew was not legal to operate the subsequent flight to Bengaluru and crew was arranged from another incoming flight which was legal as per duty time limitation.
PM Modi who is in Hubballi to inaugurate the National Youth Festival, participated in the roadshow ahead of the function. People in large numbers had lined the route and accorded the Prime Minister a rousing welcome.
