Rahul Gandhi's US Trip and Idea of India

The Leader of opposition, Rahul Gandhi visited America last week, engaged with people at Georgetown University and the University of Texas.

- SATISH KUMAR

He expressed and deliberated the idea of India with the students and faculties. According to him India is under siege of a particular ideological bandwagon which is stirred by RSS. There is no doubt that the role of opposition leader in Lok Sabha is very vital in creating an image of India in abroad. In fact, the factors of foreign policy is also shaped by different bodies and personalities, the leader of opposition is one of them. Therefore, each word spoken in the foreign land matters a lot. This is disputable why did Rahul Gandhi choose America as his first visit. It might be his personal choice or political compulsion. He might be knowing it better. But the larger question is the anti-India sentiments. The American think tanks have been saying the same which was being expressed by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul met the senator Ilhan Omar, the controversial legislator from Minnesota who has taken a staunchly critical position of the Indian government and been a sympathizer of Pakistan’s. Is it merely coincident or willful attempt to reach out to anti-India lobby in America? British Prime Minister Churchill called India in 1947 ‘rascals, rouges and freebooters’ according to him India is not a country, it is divided into caste and fragmented into religions, very soon it would get demolished like house of sands. America thought on the same line. But India survived and regained more cohesiveness in terms of a country, better understood as a ‘Rashtra’ The federal structure became healthier despite being a few challenges, female conditions improved speedily and social status of Dalits are much better.