Rahul Gandhi is far from 'Pappu', a strategist with a deep vision opposing BJP’s agenda: Sam Pitroda

During a recent address to the Indian diaspora in Texas, Congress leader Sam Pitroda emphatically countered criticisms of Rahul Gandhi, asserting that Gandhi is far from the “Pappu” label often used by his detractors. Pitroda, a prominent figure and Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, praised Gandhi’s profound strategic acumen and deep understanding of complex issues.

Rahul Gandhi’s vision vs BJP’s narrative

Pitroda emphasized that Rahul Gandhi presents a vision fundamentally opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) approach, which he claims is heavily funded. “He (Rahul Gandhi) has a vision contrary to what BJP promotes by spending crores of rupees. I must tell you, he is no Pappu. He is highly educated, well-read, a strategist with deep thinking on any subject and sometimes it is not very easy to understand him,” Pitroda stated.

#WATCH | Texas, USA: Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda says, "...Rahul Gandhi's agenda is to address some of the larger issues, he has a vision contrary to what BJP promotes by spending crore and crore of rupees. I must tell you he is not 'Pappu', he is highly… pic.twitter.com/28zgNI6BQj

— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2024

Commitment to Gandhian values and diversity

Pitroda reflected on his educational experiences in the 1950s, noting that Gandhian principles of inclusion and diversity were integral to his learning. He expressed concern over societal changes that threaten these core values, underscoring his commitment to creating equitable opportunities and respecting every individual regardless of their background. “The idea... is to make sure that we respect our people irrespective of the race, religion, language, state. We create same opportunities for everybody we provide dignity to labour and these are the issues that Rahul Gandhi is championing and that makes me very happy,” he elaborated.

Celebrating diversity and upholding democracy

According to Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi’s agenda focuses on celebrating diversity and addressing long-standing issues of inclusion. He pointed out the necessity of active engagement in democracy to prevent it from being undermined. “Democracy is not that simple... Democracy requires work from large number of people like us. We can't take it for granted because there are people who are focused on hijacking democracy,” Pitroda cautioned.

Gandhi’s commitment to global Congress initiatives

Pitroda also mentioned Gandhi’s commitment to his promises, recalling a recent visit where Gandhi fulfilled a promise to visit Dallas. “When Rahul Gandhi was here last time visiting us at a major meeting in New York, there was a demand for him to come to Dallas and he promised them that during my next trip I will come to Dallas and he is keeping his promise. He walks the talk and I am delighted that from his busy schedule he could take three days off to come visit us,” Pitroda noted.

Indian overseas Congress’s role and goals

Describing the role of the Indian Overseas Congress, Pitroda emphasized the organization’s mission to broaden its reach and enhance its activities globally. “Indian Overseas Congress is part of the Indian National Congress looking after all of the global party initiatives. We are in 32 countries and our job is to get people to understand what our party stands for, what we believe in and align forces of all kinds of democratic initiatives,” he concluded.