Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a three-day tour to the US, made the remarks in the series of questions during the interaction with the media persons at National Press Club.Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, claimed on Thursday that the Opposition is largely unified and that much good work is being done locally. He also claimed that there is a secret undercurrent developing that will “surprise” the electorate in the upcoming general elections.Gandhi asserted, “I think the Congress party will do well in the next two years. I think it will.” “I think there is a hidden undercurrent building, I think the outcome will surprise people.”LIVE: Interaction with media | National Press Club | Washington DC, USA https://t.co/WcvcfzXImi— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 1, 2023 While asked about several questions religious freedom and issues in India, Rahul Gandhi also talked about the outcome of the Karnataka assembly elections where Congress won majority seats and ousted the BJP from power, Gandhi said, “Wait and watch the next three or four state elections…. which is a better indicator of whats going to happen.” Responding to another question, Gandhi said the Opposition in India is pretty well united. “And I think its getting more and more united. Were having conversations with all the Opposition (parties). I think quite a lot of good work is happening.” “Its a complicated discussion because there are spaces where we have competing also with (other) Opposition (parties). So, its a little bit of give and take as required. But Im confident that that will happen.”Shri @RahulGandhi in discussion with esteemed members of the National Press Club in Washington DC, USA. pic.twitter.com/h98L1UtOsN— Congress (@INCIndia) June 1, 2023 Gandhi, when asked about the worldwide popularity of PM Narendra Modi, said there is a “definite capture of the institutions of the country. Theres a definite capture of the press in the country. Im not convinced that you know, I dont, I dont believe everything I hear.” When asked what his party would do to implement to ensure the rights of minorities in India if it came to power, he said, “India has a very robust system already in place, (but) that system has been weakened…You have to have an independent set of institutions that are not pressurised and controlled. And thats been the norm in India. This is an aberration that is taking place in India…If you say that if Congress came to power that they could quickly be restored, quickly.”Apart from this when he was asked about the weakening of press freedom in India, he said “Press freedom is very, very critical for democracy. Its not just press freedom. Its political access on multiple axis, there is a clamp down on the institutional framework that allowed India to talk, that allowed the Indian people to negotiate…. And that structure that allows the negotiation between Indias people is coming under pressure,” he added.He emphasised the importance of the relationship between India and the United States when speaking of US-India relations.
