NEW YORK – In a speech on Sunday, Indian opposition leader Rahul Ghandi criticized the leadership of his country and called for Indians to defend democracy and the Indian Constitution in the U.S.
Gandhi, a critic of Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi, who was expelled by Parliament, accused Modi, and his Bharativajanata Party (BJP), of dividing India and not focusing on important issues, such as unemployment and educational.
“To be rude to people, arrogant or violent is not Indian,” Gandhi told the crowd of 700 at an Indian Overseas Congress USA at the Jacob Javits Center, Manhattan. He spoke after a moment of silence to recognize a massive derailment that occurred in eastern India, which killed 275 and injured hundreds.
Gandhi is currently on a three city tour in the United States. He has spoken at Stanford University, California, and the National Press Club, Washington D.C.
Modi has been invited to speak at a joint session of Congress in the U.S. later this month by congressional leaders. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, among other leaders, announced that the address would be an “opportunity for you to share your vision of India’s future as well as speak about the global challenges both our countries face.”
Rahul Gandhi, grandson of former Indian Prime minister Indira Gandhi and a member the Indian National Congress Party, is Rahul’s grandfather. He is considered Modi’s biggest challenger for the 2024 elections.
“Modern India can’t exist without our Constitution and our Democracy,” he said on Sunday. He called for a stronger relationship between India and the U.S. in order to counter China’s influence.
He said that one of the things to consider is the bridge between India, the United States and Canada. “How can we meet the challenge that the Chinese are putting on the table?” he asked. He specifically mentioned mobility and energy issues.
In recent state elections, the Congress Party won against the BJP. This victory came after a string of defeats in state elections after Modi was elected India’s Prime Minister in 2014. Gandhi no longer holds an official position within his party. After his defeat by Modi’s Hindu Nationalist Party in the 2019 national elections he gave up his post as party president. His supporters, however, hope that the recent results of the national elections will have an impact on the 2024 elections.
In March, Gandhi was expelled from the parliament after a court found him guilty of criminal defamation for making fun of Modi’s last name. If an appeals court does not overturn the conviction, he could lose his eligibility for eight years to run for a seat in parliament. The conviction was in relation to a speech that he made in 2019.
Gandhi, who was not related to Mahatma Gandhi but praised his non-violent model, used the name of the Indian leader several times in his speech.
