'56-inch chest is gone now...'

Washington: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wasted no time in targeting the BJP as he began his US tour. Speaking at a diaspora event in Herndon, Virginia, he criticised Prime Minister Modiand the BJP for spreading fear across India, only for it to "vanish within seconds" after the elections.

Gandhi’s remarks set the tone for his US visit, which includes meetings with students at Georgetown University and other engagements. He highlighted the changing political landscape in India after the elections. He remarked, "Something has changed after the elections... Some people said 'Dar nahi lagta ab, dar nikal gaya ab'... It is interesting to me that the BJP and PM Modi spread so much fear, and the pressure of agencies on small businesses, everything vanished within seconds."

The Congress leader emphasised how the influence and fear instilled by the ruling BJP and its use of government agencies on small businesses dissipated almost instantly. "It took years for them to spread this fear and vanished within seconds...In Parliament, I see the Prime Minister right up front and I can tell you that the idea of Mr Modi, 56-inch chest, direct connection with god, that’s all gone now, it’s is all history now..."

Rahul Gandhi also shared insights from the period leading up to the elections, noting that the Congress party’s bank accounts were frozen just three months before voting began. “Three months before elections our bank accounts were all sealed... We were discussing that now what to do... let’s see what we can do... and we went into the elections...,” Gandhi recalled, reflecting on the difficult circumstances his party faced.

India’s diversity-BJP’s ideology

In his speech, Rahul Gandhi reiterated the essence of India’s unity, rooted in its Constitution. He criticized the BJP’s approach to the country’s diversity, stating, “BJP doesn’t understand that India is a union of states, histories, traditions, music, and dance.” He argued that the ruling party misrepresents India’s foundational principles.

“ In the Constitution, it is written clearly... India that is Bharat is a union state, histories, tradition music and dance...they (BJP) say it is not a union, it is different...,” he said.

RSS & linguistic diversity

Gandhi also took aim at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying, “What the RSS says is that certain states, languages, religions, and communities are inferior to others.” He stressed that the RSS ideology does not respect India’s linguistic and cultural diversity, framing it as a core issue in their ongoing struggle.

“What the RSS says is that certain states are inferior to other states.”

“Certain languages are inferior to other languages, certain religions are inferior to other religions, and certain communities are inferior to other communities...All the state has its history, tradition...RSS ideology is Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, Manipuri, these are inferior languages...that’s what the fight is about...These people (RSS) don’t understand India...,” Rahul said.

Gandhi will remain in Washington for the next two days before returning to Delhi. His tour is part of a broader effort to connect with the Indian diaspora and discuss key political issues.

In his speech to the Indian diaspora in Dallas, Gandhi emphasized the importance of values like love, respect, and humility in Indian politics. He highlighted India’s rich diversity, noting that, like the United States, India is a union of states where all languages, religions, and communities are equal.

Calling the Indian diaspora in the US a “vital bridge” between the two countries, Rahul Gandhi underscored the importance of maintaining connections between India and the global Indian community.