Last Update: June 01, 2023, 10:12 AM IST
United States of America, USA)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaks during an interactive session at Stanford University in California, USA. (PTI photo)
The Wayanad (Kerala) MP was disqualified from the Lok Sabha earlier this year after he was convicted by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark in 2019.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that when he entered politics he did not think that his disqualification from the Lok Sabha was possible, but asserted that it has given him a “huge opportunity” to serve the people. Gandhi, who is in the US for three days – visited the American city on Wednesday night to answer a series of questions from Indian students at the prestigious Stanford University campus in California.
The Member of Parliament from Wayanad (Kerala) was disqualified from the Lok Sabha earlier this year after he was convicted by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark in 2019. In his remarks, Gandhi said that when he entered politics in 2000, he never thought that he would pass like this. What he is seeing is going on now is what he thought of joining politics.
Referring to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament, the 52-year-old Gandhi said he had not imagined that something like this was possible. “But then I think it’s given me a really big opportunity. Probably a lot bigger than the opportunity I’ll have. That’s how politics works,” he said.
“I think the drama really started about six months ago. We were fighting. The entire opposition in India is fighting. Huge financial dominance. Institutional capture. We are fighting a democratic battle in our country. It’s this time, he said, that he decided to go on an India Jodo trip. He said, “I’m very clear, our fight is our fight.” But here’s a group of young students from India. I want to make a connection with them. I want and want to talk to them. It is my right to do so, he said during an interaction with Indian-origin Indian students and academicians at the university here.
He also emphasized in his frequent foreign visits that he was not seeking support from anyone. “I don’t understand why the prime minister doesn’t come here and do this,” Gandhi said amid thunderous applause from the packed audience in Stanford’s auditorium.
The moderator said that the Prime Minister is welcome to visit Stanford at any time and interact with students and academics. Due to overcrowding of the auditorium, some students were not given entry. Students started queuing up two hours before the program started. Several Indian ministers have interacted with Indian students in the last year and a half.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,