Rahul Gandhi
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Rahul Rajiv Gandhi (Template:IPA; born 19 June 1970) is an Indian politician. A member of the Indian National Congress (INC), he is currently serving as the 12th leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and as the member of the Lok Sabha for Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, since June 2024.Template:EfnTemplate:Efn He previously represented the constituency of Wayanad, Kerala, from 2019 to 2024, and Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, from 2004 to 2019. Gandhi served as the party president of the Indian National Congress from December 2017 to July 2019.
A member of the Nehru–Gandhi political family, he spent his early years between Delhi and Dehradun, remaining largely outside the public sphere during his childhood and early youth. He received primary education in New Delhi and then attended The Doon School. However, due to security concerns, he was later home-schooled. Gandhi commenced his undergraduate degree at St. Stephen's College before moving to Harvard University. Following his father's assassination and subsequent security concerns, he moved to Rollins College in Florida, completing his degree in 1994. After earning a M.Phil. from Cambridge, Gandhi initiated his professional career with the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm in London. Soon thereafter, he returned to India and founded a technology outsourcing firm based in Mumbai. He ventured into politics in the 2000s, leading the Indian Youth Congress and National Students Union of India, while also being a trustee of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust.
Gandhi led the Congress party during the 2014 and 2019 general elections, where the party experienced significant defeats, securing 44 and 52 seats, respectively. Ahead of the 2024 Indian general elections, Gandhi spearheaded the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, contributing to the INC winning 99 seats and regaining the status of Official Opposition for the first time in a decade. Gandhi won the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 elections and was nominated to serve as Leader of the Opposition.
Early life and background
Gandhi was born on 19 June 1970 at Holy Family Hospital in Delhi.<ref name="Desk 2019">Template:Cite web</ref> He was the first of two children born to Rajiv Gandhi, who later served as the 6th prime minister of India, and Sonia Gandhi, who went on to become the president of the Indian National Congress. As the grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, his lineage is deeply rooted in Indian political history. His paternal grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, hailed from Gujarat and was of Parsi descent.<ref name="Bhatt 2012">Template:Cite web</ref> Furthermore, he is the great-grandson of India's inaugural prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Gandhi completed his elementary education at St. Columba's School in New Delhi.<ref name="The Times of India 2009 s173">Template:Cite web</ref> He then attended The Doon School in Dehradun (an elite all-boys' boarding school, also the alma mater of his father, Rajiv Gandhi) from 1981 to 1983.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At Doon, Gandhi studied alongside notable contemporaries, including former Congress members Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada.<ref name="News18 2020">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by Sikhs in her personal guard on 31 October 1984, his father entered politics and became the 6th prime minister of India. Due to security threats from Sikh extremists, Gandhi and his sister Priyanka were home-schooled, taking examinations under the supervision of teachers.<ref name="Saxena 2017 s908">Template:Cite web</ref> Spending their childhood away from media attention, Gandhi and his sister kept low profiles, appearing with their parents at a handful of public occasions.<ref name="The New York Times 1989 z882">Template:Cite web</ref>
Gandhi joined St. Stephen's College, Delhi, an affiliated college of the University of Delhi, in 1989 for his undergraduate education.<ref name="The Indian Express 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi's academic performance in Class XII, with a score of 61 per cent in the CBSE school certificate, was perceived as not particularly strong.<ref name="Kidwai 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> He gained admission to St. Stephen's College for BA (Honors) History through the sports quota, which granted a 10 per cent advantage in exam scores to promising athletes; per National Rifle Association of India testimonials, Gandhi stood 4th in the 32nd National Shooting Competition held in New Delhi from 26 December 1988 to 5 January 1989.<ref name="Kidwai 2023"/> Gandhi had finished fourth in the Centre Fire Pistol 25 M (Indian Rule) Men's civilian event with a score of 371 out of 400 points.<ref name="Kidwai 2023"/> By July 1989, Gandhi had won eight national awards. In 1991, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by the LTTE during an election rally, Gandhi left St. Stephen's and moved to Harvard University. Due to security concerns, he subsequently relocated to Rollins College in Florida. He further went on to obtain an Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Development Studies, from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995.<ref name="Sonwalkar 2014">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="The Economic Times 2009">Template:Cite web</ref> Following his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991, there was a heightened threat perception to the family, those closest to Gandhi were paranoid about his safety and might have forced him to take cover under the misleading surname "Vinci".<ref name="u157">Template:Cite news</ref>
After completing higher education, Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm set up by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, in London for three years.<ref name="Rediff.com 2004">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2002, he returned to India and established his technology consultancy, Backops Services Private Ltd, in Mumbai, where he served as one of the directors of the firm.<ref name="Rediff2002">Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, he founded BackOps UK, a company that secured defence contracts from foreign suppliers.<ref name="Kumar 2019">Template:Cite web</ref>
Political career
Formative years
In March 2004, Gandhi announced his entry into politics by declaring that he would contest the 14th general elections from his father's former constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of parliament.<ref name="BBC Amethi">Template:Cite web</ref> His mother had held the seat until she transferred to the neighbouring constituency of Raebareli. When Gandhi made this announcement, it came as a surprise to political commentators, who had perceived his sister Priyanka Gandhi as the more charismatic and probable successor. It generated speculation that the presence of a young member of India's most famous political family would reinvigorate the Congress party's political fortunes among India's youthful population.<ref name="Biswas BBC 2004">Template:Cite web</ref> In his first interview with foreign media, Gandhi portrayed himself as a uniter of the country and condemned "divisive" politics in India, saying that he would try to reduce caste and religious tensions.<ref name="amethi">Template:Cite news</ref>
After being out of power for a record eight years, the Congress party returned to power, winning a total of 145 seats in the 2004 Indian general election. A coalition government was formed at the center by Congress with the backing of regional parties. Gandhi secured a victory by a substantial margin of over 100,000 votes, thereby maintaining the stronghold of his family in Uttar Pradesh.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party performed poorly in Uttar Pradesh, as it held 10 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, with a vote share of 12.53 per cent.<ref name="amethihistory">Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi did not hold any official role or position within the government.<ref name="Telegraph India">Template:Cite web</ref> From 2004 to 2006, Gandhi served as a member for the Standing Committee on Home Affairs. Between 2006 and 2009, he served as the member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development.<ref name="Post2004">Template:Cite news</ref>
Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka, managed their mother's campaign for re-election to Raebareilly in 2006, which was won with a margin of over 400,000 votes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was a prominent figure in the Congress campaign for the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election; Congress did not perform well in those elections, winning 22 seats of the 403 seats with 8.53 per cent of the vote.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 24 September 2007, Gandhi was appointed as the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, the governing body of the Congress party, as part of a reshuffle of the party secretariat.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the same reshuffle, he was also given charge of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
For the 2009 Indian general election, Gandhi campaigned across India covering 22 states and 107 constituencies.<ref name="Campaigning09">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His campaigning included addressing public rallies and meetings, interacting with voters, and highlighting the party's vision and agenda for the country.<ref name="Issues09">Template:Cite news</ref> He specifically focused on issues such as rural development, education, employment, and women's empowerment. Gandhi, also emphasised the importance of youth participation in politics and urged them to be more involved in shaping the country's future.<ref name="Express09">Template:Cite news</ref> The nationwide elections defied the predictions made by pre-poll predictions and exit polls and gave a clear mandate to the incumbent, Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 2009 general elections were a success for the INC, which won 206 seats. While the Congress did not win a majority in the election, they emerged as the largest party and formed a coalition government with the support of other parties.<ref name="2009 Election">Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi retained his Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival by a margin of over 370,000 votes.<ref name=rahul3>Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi was credited with the Congress revival in Uttar Pradesh where they won 21 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=2009election>Template:Cite web</ref>
Youth politics
In September 2007, Gandhi was appointed as general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), segment of the Congress party that represents the younger generation, and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the faction that caters to the student community.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As the general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Gandhi played a notable role in shaping the policies and strategies of these organisations. After his appointment, both groups saw a significant increase in membership, from 200,000 to 2.5 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The IYC underwent a restructuring process to make it more democratic and inclusive.<ref name="Org Revamp">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="IYC Reform">Template:Cite news</ref> In November 2008, Gandhi held interviews at his 12 Tughlak Lane residence in New Delhi to handpick at least 40 people to make up the IYC's think tank.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2009, during Gandhi's visit to West Bengal, the state unit of the Youth Congress registered 1 million members.<ref name="IYC Members">Template:Cite news</ref> Similarly, the IYC acquired around 10 to 15 new members per day in each assembly segment of Uttar Pradesh. After his visit, the number surged to 150 to 200 new members per day in the same regions.<ref name="UP IYC">Template:Cite news</ref>
While serving as the general secretary of the NSUI, Gandhi played an active role in strengthening the organisation and increasing student participation in politics.<ref name="Org Revamp"/> Under his leadership, the NSUI initiated programs and campaigns to address issues affecting the student community, such as the quality of education, employment opportunities, and social justice.<ref name="NSUI 2018">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NSUI Protest">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NSUI Issues">Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi also advocated for greater student representation in decision-making processes and supported student leaders in their endeavours.<ref name="Student Leader">Template:Cite news</ref>
Congress leadership
Ahead of the 2014 Indian general election, Gandhi was named the vice-president of the Indian National Congress, effectively making him the party's second-in-command. Gandhi contested the 2014 Indian general election from his constituency, Amethi,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and led the election campaign of the Indian National Congress.<ref name=R1>Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi retained the Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival, BJP's Smriti Irani, by a margin of 107,000 votes.<ref name=2009election/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Congress party suffered a massive defeat, winning 44 seats—its worst performance ever in the Lok Sabha elections.<ref name="dna May 2014">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=2009results>Template:Cite news</ref> The UPA also had its worst-ever performance in elections and won 59 seats, compared to the 262 seats won in 2009.<ref name=2009results/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the defeat, Gandhi offered to resign from his positions which was rejected by the Congress Working Committee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gandhi led the 2019 election campaign of the Congress party. During campaign, Gandhi announced "Nyay" (Nyuntam Aay Yojana— Minimum Income Guarantee) Scheme promising Rs 6,000 each to 20 per cent poorest households to his election speeches.<ref name="2019 INC">Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi also promised to fill 22 lakhs government jobs within one year coming to power at the Centre. Gandhi used the slogan "Chowkidar Chor Hai" as a jibe against Narendra Modi, BJP's prime ministerial candidate during his election rallies.<ref name="HuffPost25Dec">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The slogan was aimed at Modi about the alleged irregularities and favouritism in awarding the contracts for the Rafale fighter jet deal.<ref name="telegraphindia16March">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=HuffPost_Profile>Template:Cite news</ref> Post election results the INC won 52 seats, eight more than the previous election. Its vote percentage once again fell below 20 per cent. Gandhi won the Wayanad seat with over 60 per cent vote share.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He lost his existing seat of Amethi to Smriti Irani of the BJP by a margin of 55,120 votes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ahead of the 2024 Indian general elections, Gandhi spearheaded political initiatives, including the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which were designed to address pressing social and economic issues facing the country. These campaigns aimed to foster unity and counter divisive politics, while also enhancing the visibility of the Indian National Congress (INC) among voters. The INC secured 99 seats in the elections, representing an improvement from previous electoral performances and allowing the party to reclaim the status of Official Opposition for the first time in ten years. In the elections, Gandhi successfully won the Rae Bareli constituency, succeeding his mother, Sonia Gandhi.
As a member of Parliament of India since 2004, Gandhi has served as a member of several parliamentary committees including Home Affairs, Human Resource Development, External Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs and Defence.
National Herald case
The National Herald case revolves around allegations of financial irregularities and misuse of funds related to the National Herald newspaper. The case garnered attention when former BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and five other Congress party leaders—Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, and Satyan Pitroda—of cheating and misappropriating funds associated with the National Herald. The allegations by then-BJP leader Subramanian Swamy centered on a loan given by the Congress party to "Associated Journals Limited" (AJL), the company that owned the National Herald newspaper.<ref name="NH Standard">Template:Cite web</ref> Subramanian Swamy alleged that the loan, amounting to around Template:INRConvert, was not repaid. Instead, it was converted into equity, effectively transferring the ownership of AJL to a new company called "Young India Ltd" (YIL), in which Sonia Gandhi hold 76 per cent of the company's shares, and the remaining 24 per cent are held by Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes.<ref name="NH Standard"/> As per Swamy, YIL paid Template:INRConvert to get back ₹90 crore that Associated AJL owed to the Congress party. He also alleged that the loan given to AJL was illegal, as it had been taken from party funds.<ref name="NH Standard"/>
The case went through various legal proceedings, including hearings in lower courts and the Delhi High Court. In December 2015, the Delhi High Court dismissed the appeals of Sonia Gandhi and five others, ordering them to appear in person before the trial court.<ref name="Singh 2015">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, the Supreme Court of India instructed Swamy to present arguments for expediting the trial in the high court. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were granted bail by the trial court on 19 December 2015. Subsequently, in 2016, the Supreme Court exempted all five accused individuals (including the Gandhis, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, and Suman Dubey) from personally attending court hearings, declining to dismiss the ongoing legal proceedings against them.<ref name="NH Standard"/> In December 2020, the Delhi court dismissed a petition filed by then-BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking to summon Rahul and Sonia Gandhi and others as accused in the case. The court held that there was no prima facie evidence to suggest their involvement in any corruption conspiracy.<ref name="Benjamin 2022">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2014, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an investigation into Swamy's complaint to determine if there were any indications of money laundering. The investigation was closed due to technical reasons. Nonetheless, Swamy wrote to prime minister Narendra Modi expressing his suspicions about ED Director Ranjan Katoch. Subsequently, in 2015, Katoch was replaced, and the case was reopened. In December 2015, the Patiala court granted bail to the five individuals accused in the case.<ref name="NHC Bail">Template:Cite web</ref> The Congress party objected to Swamy's complaint, calling it “vindictive politics”.<ref name="Herald">Template:Cite web</ref>
Bharat Jodo Yatra
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which translates to "Unify India March," was a campaign organised by the Congress party spanning from 2022 to 2023 with the stated primary objective of promoting national unity and solidarity across the various regions of India. It aimed to mobilise support for the INC and its ideology, emphasising themes of patriotism, cultural heritage, and development.<ref name="Yatra Aim2023">Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi started the initiative on 7 September 2022 at Kanyakumari after paying tributes to his late father Rajiv Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar.<ref name="BusinessLine 2022">Template:Cite web</ref> The yatra saw Gandhi along with INC leaders, including members of Parliament and notable personalities, travelling across the country, addressing rallies, conducting public meetings, and interacting with citizens. Throughout the yatra, Gandhi focused on issues such as economic development, social justice, and inclusive governance, aiming to strengthen the party's grassroots presence and reinvigorate its political relevance on the national stage.<ref name="Phukan 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
The yatra concluded on 29 January 2023 with the unfurling of the tricolour flag at Lal Chowk, Srinagar;<ref name="Shekhar 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> it lasted 137 days, covering 4,080 kilometres (2,540 miles) over nearly five months across 12 states and two union territories. During the yatra, the INC elected a new party president and also won a majority in the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the first majority the party had won by itself since 2018. In the subsequent elections in Karnataka and Telangana in 2023, the Congress party achieved a landslide victory, marked by an increase in both the party's vote share and the number of seats compared to the previous elections in the constituencies through which the march had passed.<ref name="mint 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
From 14 January to 20 March 2024, Gandhi led a second yatra across India from east to west, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra; unlike the previous version, the Yatra was conducted in a hybrid mode.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Disqualification
Template:Main On 13 April 2019, during a political rally in Kolar, Karnataka, India before the 17th general election, Gandhi made a remark in Hindi, questioning, "Why is it that all thieves, whether it be Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, or Narendra Modi, have Modi in their names?".<ref name="BBC 2023 ">Template:Cite web</ref> A speech comparing Narendra Modi with Fugitive Economic Offenders such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. A criminal defamation case was filed by Purnesh Modi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Surat West. He alleged that Gandhi had defamed all individuals with the surname Modi. On 16 July 2019, the Surat court excused Gandhi from appearing personally in court due to short notice. On 10 October, he pleaded not guilty in the Surat Court, recording his statements and responding to questions here on 24 June 2021, and again on 29 October. During these appearances, he clarified to the court that he did not intend to defame any community.<ref name="Scroll.in 2021 z827">Template:Cite web</ref>
On 23 March 2023, Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment under charges of defamation. The day following the conviction, Utpal Kumar Singh, the Lok Sabha secretary general, announced that Rahul Gandhi would be disqualified as a member of parliament representing the Wayanad constituency, effective from 23 March, the date of his conviction. The secretary general further said that this action was taken under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA), which deals with the disqualification of convicted representatives in India.<ref name="BusinessLine disqualification">Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi's lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi appealed at the higher court and secured a one-month stay on the sentence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 5 August, the Supreme Court of India issued a stay on Gandhi's conviction and sentence, handed down by Chief Judicial Magistrate in Surat on 23 March 2023.<ref name="Supreme Court News_2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
The disqualification of Gandhi prompted widespread reactions and responses, from the Congress party as well as other opposition leaders and lawmakers abroad.<ref name="BBC_2023">Template:Cite web</ref> Legal experts questioned the basis of the charge, as defamation is only actionable against individuals and not a generic class of people.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The US House of Representatives, Ro Khanna, Democrat co-chair of the India Caucus, described the removal of Gandhi from parliament as a "deep betrayal" of India's "deepest values".<ref name="World reaction">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Khanna">Template:Cite web</ref> A spokesperson for Germany's foreign ministry stated that Berlin had "acknowledged" the verdict and was monitoring the subsequent steps, including the possibility of an appeal and whether the "suspension of his mandate" was deemed justified.<ref name="German FM">Template:Cite web</ref> US Senator Chris Van Hollen made a separate comment, stating that the news of the disqualification was "alarming".<ref name="The Tribune India 2023 p349">Template:Cite web</ref>
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (2024–present)
Following the 2024 general election, he was nominated as the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, reinforcing his role as a prominent figure within the party and the opposition landscape. In his first year in the role, he made 16 speeches in the 17th Lok Sabha, and pressured the government to conduct a nationwide caste census; this was adopted by the government in April 2025, as announced by the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi welcomed the decision, calling it "the first step towards deep social reform".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2025 vote theft allegations
Template:Main article In August 2025, Gandhi alleged irregularities in voter rolls and polling processes, referring to the issue as “vote chori” (“vote theft”), during a press conference on 7 August.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He cited examples from constituencies including Mahadevapura in Karnataka and presented documents which he said showed duplicate and fraudulent voter entries. The Election Commission of India subsequently asked him to provide formal evidence supporting the claims or to withdraw them. Later in the month, Gandhi expanded the allegations to cover multiple parliamentary constituencies and took part in public demonstrations organised by the Indian National Congress on the issue.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Political positions
National security
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In December 2010, during the United States diplomatic cables leak, WikiLeaks leaked a cable dated 3 August 2009 after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hosted a lunch on 20 July 2009 for Gandhi, then the general secretary of the AICC. One of the guests who was invited for the lunch was the United States ambassador to India, Timothy J. Roemer. In a "candid conversation" with Roemer, he said that he believes Hindu extremists pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants. Gandhi referred specifically to more-polarising figures in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also responding to the ambassador's query about the activities in the region by the Islamist militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim population.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a response to this, the BJP heavily criticised Gandhi for his statements. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Gandhi, saying that his language was a bigger threat to India, dividing the people of the country on communal grounds. Speaking to reporters, Prasad said, "In one stroke Mr. Rahul Gandhi has sought to give a big leverage to the propaganda to all the extremist and terrorist groups in Pakistan and also some segments of the Pakistani establishment. It would also seriously compromise India's fight against terror as also our strategic security." Adding that terrorism has no religion, he claimed that Rahul Gandhi had shown his lack of understanding India.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi has also been critical of groups like the RSS and has compared them to terrorist organisations like SIMI.<ref name="Isfanatical">RSS is 'fanatical' like banned outfit SIMI: Rahul Template:Webarchive. The Economic Times. 6 October 2010</ref><ref>RSS as fanatical as SIMI: Rahul Template:Webarchive. Hindustan Times (6 October 2010). Retrieved 9 August 2011.</ref>
After the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots at a Madhya Pradesh election rally in Indore, Gandhi claimed that a police officer told him that Pakistan's military intelligence service, ISI, was trying to recruit disgruntled riot-affected youngsters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The district administration, Uttar Pradesh state government, Union Home Ministry, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) denied any such development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This remark drew heavy criticism from various political outfits such as BJP, SP, CPI and JD(U).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Congress's Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi needed to apologise to the Muslim community for this remark.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In reply to the ECI's show-cause notice to explain why action should not be initiated against him for violating the Model Code of Conduct, Gandhi said that he didn't intend to exploit communal sentiments but was referring to divisive politics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lokpal
Gandhi opines that the Lokpal should be made a constitutional body and it should be made accountable to the Parliament, just like the Election Commission of India. He opined that Lokpal alone cannot root out corruption, rather a strong political will is needed to remove corruption. This statement came out on 25 August 2011, on the 10th day of Anna Hazare's fast. Gandhi's statement was considered a delaying tactic by the opposition and Team Anna's members. It was consequently slammed by opposition leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Parliamentary Standing Committee led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi tabled the Jan Lokpal Bill report in the Rajya Sabha on 9 December 2011. The report recommended the Lokpal be made into a constitutional body.
Farmers and land agitation
On 19 April 2015, Gandhi addressed the farmer and worker's rally, named as Kisan Khet Mazdoor Rally in Ramlila Maidan. Here he made "references to his agitations in Niyamgiri in Orissa and Bhatta-Parsaul in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh".<ref name="KKM"/> The rally was attended by 100,000 people. In the speech he gave, he criticised the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi about his comment in Toronto where he said that he was "cleaning the mess created by previous governments".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He also said, "Do you know how Modi won the election?... He borrowed thousands of crores from industrialists for his several campaigns and advertisements. How will he pay them back? He will pay them back with your land. He will give your land to his industrialist friends."<ref name="KKM">Template:Cite news</ref>
He razzed the government as a "suit-boot government", a reference to Modi's monogrammed suit which he wore in the Republic Day meeting with Barack Obama. Moreover, he used the "acche din government" jibe (which was Modi's election campaign slogan meaning "good days government") and mentioned that it had "failed the country".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A land bill was introduced by the BJP government in the parliament in May which was criticised by the opposition parties.<ref name="LB"/> Accusing the government of "murdering" UPA's land bill,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi promised to prevent the bill from being passed, if not in the parliament then would "stop you [ BJP government] on streets". He further accused the government of diluting the bill and called it "anti-farmer".<ref name="LB">Template:Cite web</ref> Gandhi also drew a parallel between "daylight robbery" and the bill.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 26 May, the day of the Modi government's first anniversary, Gandhi commented at a rally in Kozhikode "Unfortunately, birthday celebrations is only for a few powerful friends of the government. Kisan, farmers and mazdoor have nothing to celebrate."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Women's empowerment and LGBTQ rights
Template:Quote box Gandhi has spoken publicly about the importance of women's empowerment and gender equality in India.<ref name="Gandhi2021">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While inaugurating 'Utsaah', a Kerala Mahila Congress convention in Kochi, Gandhi stated that the Congress party would actively promote women within its organizational structure and set a target to have 50 per cent of women as chief ministers within the next 10 years. Gandhi initiated the Self-Help Groups amongthe women in the villages of Amethi.<ref name="SHG">Template:Cite web</ref> The primary focus of this scheme was to bring women together and empower them with information and decision making capabilities.<ref name="Sharda 2018">Template:Cite web</ref> He has called for increased representation of women in politics and for the eradication of gender-based violence.<ref name="Gender2021">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Under the second Manmohan Singh ministry, a Women's Reservation Bill to require that a third of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats be reserved for women was introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Gandhi backed the bill, stating, "Women do not need any protection. If you give them their rights, they can protect themselves".<ref name="Women2014">Template:Cite news</ref> This bill passed the Rajya Sabha on 9 March 2010, it never received a vote in the Lok Sabha and eventually lapsed due to its pending status.<ref name="Al Jazeera Bill">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2019, while addressing students in Chennai, Gandhi again called for 33 per cent reservation of all parliamentary Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats for women, as well as government jobs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India revoked Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, an act which criminalised homosexual sex between adults. Gandhi supported this move, stating that he believed that issues related to personal freedom should be left to the individual.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He opined that it's essential to uphold the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens of India.<ref name="The Indian Express 377">Template:Cite web</ref> Under Gandhi's leadership, the Congress appointed a transgender woman as national general secretary in the women’s wing—seen as a step toward mainstreaming transgender individuals.<ref name="Apsara Reddy">Template:Cite news</ref>
Climate and energy
Gandhi advocates the transition to renewable energy sources and has called for increased investment in solar, wind, and other sustainable energy technologies.<ref name="Energy">Template:Cite web</ref> He has been very concerned about the environmental degradation of the world and has said that unless environmental problems are made a political issue, they will not get the attention they deserve.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Gandhi criticised the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 draft by calling it "dangerous" and said that its long term consequences will be harmful. Calling it a disaster, he said that it will silence the communities who will be directly impacted by environmental degradation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
Gandhi while addressing All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Jaipur, called for an end to red tape and outdated laws that slow job creation.<ref name="Reuters2013">Template:Cite news</ref> Gandhi views the economic policies of Modi Government as fundamentally to benefit the 2-3 billionaires and has described them as crony capitalists.<ref name="Ghildiyal 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> Calling the "crony capitalists" as best friends of Modi, he has been critical of the privatisation of government assets.<ref name="Standard 2020">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is of the view that RSS and crony capitalists are colluding to control India.<ref name="Sagar Kulkarni 2021">Template:Cite web</ref> He has been specifically harsh on Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, to whom he said the Modi Government has been very favourable.<ref name="Scroll 2023">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He sees the rise of Adani as a direct consequence of crony capitalism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He said that he is not anti-business and supports fairness.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Disagreeing with privatisation of PSUs, he said that Congress will not allow the privatisation if it comes to power.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Citing the report on inequality by Oxfam, he said that rising economic inequality is the result of Modi Government's economic policies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demonetisation
Gandhi has been very critical of the Modi government's demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He has called it a "tragedy" and a "disaster" that has negatively impacted the Indian economy and the lives of ordinary citizens. Gandhi has also accused the government of carrying out the policy without adequate planning and causing immense hardship to the poor and vulnerable sections of society. He said that demonetisation is a fundamental failure of policy design<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has alleged that it was a deliberate move by "PayPM" to help 2-3 billionaires to monopolise the economy. Terming demonetisation as the country's “biggest scam”,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During his public speeches and political rallies, Gandhi has consistently criticised the demonetisation move, claiming that it failed to achieve its intended objectives of combating black money and curbing corruption.<ref name="Standard 2022">Template:Cite web</ref> He has also argued that the policy was implemented without proper consultation with experts or the opposition parties. Gandhi further asserted that, demonetisation caused significant disruption to farmers, and rendered millions jobless in small and medium-sized businesses, and workers in the informal sector.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Electoral history
| Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Result | Margin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Amethi | Template:Party name with color | 390,179 | 66.18% | Template:Party name with color | Chandra Parkash Mishra | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||
| 2009 | 464,195 | 71.78% | Template:Party name with color | Asheesh Shukla | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||||
| 2014 | 408,651 | 46.71% | Template:Party name with color | Smriti Irani | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||||
| 2019 | 413,394 | 43.86% | Template:Party name with color | Smriti Irani | Template:Lost | Template:No2 | ||||
| Wayanad | 706,367 | 64.67% | Template:Party name with color | P. P. Suneer | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||||
| 2024 | 647,445 | 59.69% | Template:Party name with color | Annie Raja | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||||
| Rae Bareli | 687,649 | 66.17% | Template:Party name with color | Dinesh Pratap Singh | Template:Won | Template:Yes2 | ||||
Positions held
Public offices
In 2004, the Gandhi was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs from 2004 to 2006, as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development from 2006 to 2009.<ref name="Positions">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, they were re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha for a second term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development, along with being a member of the Consultative Committee on Rural Development.<ref name="Telegraph India HRD">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FSI 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2014, Gandhi was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha for a third term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on External Affairs, as well as a member of the Consultative Committee on Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs.<ref name="Positions"/> In 2019, he was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha for a fourth term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Defence, as well as a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs.<ref name="Consultative">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Gandhi was elected to the 18th Lok Sabha for a fifth term and serves as the 12th Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Defence.
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Elected to 14th Lok Sabha
|
| 2009 | Elected to 15th Lok Sabha (2nd term)
|
| 2014 | Elected to 16th Lok Sabha (3rd term)
|
| 2019 | Elected to 17th Lok Sabha (4th term)
|
| 2024 | Elected to 18th Lok Sabha (5th term)
|
Within party
Between 2008 and 2013, Gandhi assumed the role of general secretary within the Indian National Congress (INC).<ref name="General Secretary">Template:Cite web</ref> Since 2007, Gandhi has served as the General Secretary of both the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), positions he established and of which he currently holds of Indian Youth Congress.<ref name="IYC Chairperson">Template:Cite web</ref> His tenure as vice-president of the INC, established in 2013, lasted until 2016, after which the position was abolished.<ref name="VP INC">Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, from 2017 to 2019, Gandhi served as the president of the INC, succeeding Sonia Gandhi.<ref name="President INC">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Year | Position | Preceded by | Succeeded by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2013 | General secretary of INC | N/ATemplate:Efn | N/ATemplate:Efn |
| 2007–Incumbent | General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress | Position established | Incumbent |
| 2007–2022 | General Secretary of NSUI | Position established | Mallikarjun Kharge |
| 2013–2016 | Vice president of INC | Jitendra Prasada | Position abolished |
| 2017–2019 | President of INC | Sonia Gandhi | Sonia Gandhi (interim) Mallikarjun Kharge |
See also
Notes
References
Further reading
External links
Template:Wikiquote Template:Commons category
- Template:Official website
- [1] Template:Webarchive at Indian National Congress
- [2] at Lok Sabha, Parliament of India
- [3] Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha
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Template:S-ttl Template:S-inc Template:S-end Template:Navboxes Template:Authority control
- Rahul Gandhi
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