Rahul Gandhi US Visit Live Updates: Indian democracy broken from last 10 years, now it is fighting back, says Rahul Gandhi

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday lashed out at leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, describing his comments on the Sikh community and reservations during his US visit as "misleading, baseless, and extremely shameful”. He accused the Congress leader of opening a "shop of lies" while running a "shop of love."

"India cannot go forward without building a manufacturing base. We’ve handed the entire act of production to the Chinese. India cannot simply run a services-based economy with over a billion people. The real question for the 21st century is: Can the US and India provide a democratic, liberal vision for production and manufacturing? This is not just an economic question, it’s about providing jobs and opportunities to large sections of the population."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said "We have an old relation with Bangladesh... I think there are concerns in India about extremist elements in Bangladesh and we share some of those concerns...However, I am confident that things will stabilize in Bangladesh and we will be able to have a relationship with the current government or any other government..."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has interacted with Indian diaspora besides students and faculty at universities during his visit to the United States, also met US lawmakers.

The meeting, which took place at Rayburn House Office Building, here, was hosted by Congressman Bradley James Sherman and those present included US Congress members Jonathan Jackson, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Barbara Lee, Shri Thanedar, Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia, Ilhan Omar, Hank Johnson and Jan Schakowsky.

Sources familiar with the meetings told ANI that Rahul Gandhi also met US diplomat Donald Lu and lawmaker Pramila Jayapal.

They said that Rahul Gandhi met Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asia, US Department of State, in Washington DC on September 9.

He met Pramila Jayaram, an Indian-American Congress woman, as part of his engagements and later interacted with officials of US House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rahul Gandhi's meeting with Donald Lu came ahead of the American diplomat's visit to India and Bangladesh.

The student, addressing Rahul, probed the vision and practicality of the INDIA alliance, especially with the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approaching. The question highlighted a key concern about the coalition's effectiveness:

"You lead the INDIA Alliance, which many view as an alternative to the BJP-led NDA government. However, as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approach, your party has struggled to reach an agreement on seat-sharing with Mamata Banerjee's TMC and includes partners like the Hindutva-based Shiv Sena. Given these divisions, how would you manage a government if elected, when the coalition appears united only in its goal to remove Prime Minister Modi?"

"This statement proves the condition of J&K during Congress rule. Terrorism, separatism and stone pelters were in full swing...If the then Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was scared to go to Lal Chowk you can what condition it was in. Today, anyone can go to Lal Chowk. There is peace and development has been happening there. This is the difference- 'Congress aafat laati hai, hum rahat laate hain'," he said.

"These comments reflect his mentality and thinking. Nehru family never fulfilled the promises made to the Sikhs...Even after 40 years of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the National Commission for Minorities is trying to provide justice to the victims...PM Modi has taken many decisions for the welfare of Sikhs...BJP always promotes Sikhs...Sikhs are safe in the nation...The inheritance in India is from the father so Rahul Gandhi is also a minority as his grandfather Feroze Gandhi was a Parsi, a minority community...All religions are one. We should not make these kinds of statements," he said.

"Rahul Gandhi has no patriotism, he goes abroad and criticizes the central government... He is still learning and lacks maturity. He is dreaming of leading the country which will never be fulfilled," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi's comments about Sikhs during his visit to the United States, and accused the Congress leader of promoting a dangerous narrative while abroad.

Addressing a press conference, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the Modi government has gone out of its way to safeguard the community's interest.

"Out of the blue, he says that the Sikh community in Bharat has a certain anxiety that they cannot tie a turban. I have been wearing a turban for 60 years. This government has gone out of its way to safeguard the interests of Sikhs, and I don't think that is the case. I don't believe Sikhs have felt safer and more honored than at any time in our history after 1947. If there has been a time in our history when we have felt anxiety, a sense of insecurity, and even an existential threat, it has been when Rahul Gandhi’s family has been in positions of power," Puri said.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati lashed out at the Congress on Tuesday, alleging that the party is just creating drama over the implementation of caste-based census and accusing the party is trying to regain power under the guise of these issues.
"Despite being in power for a long time at the Centre, the Congress party did not implement OBC reservations nor did it conduct a caste-based census. Now this party is dreaming of regaining power under the guise of these issues. Beware of their theatrics, as they will never conduct a caste-based census," she said in a social media post in X.

Mayawati further cautioned the people over the theatrics of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that the Congress has been plotting to end reservations in the country for years following his statement to scrap reservations in India when it becomes a "fair place" during his interactions with students and faculty at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, on Monday (local time).

"Be cautious of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi's theatrics, in which he claimed abroad that if India were to improve, we would end reservations for SC, ST, and OBCs. This clearly indicates that the Congress has been plotting to end these reservations for years," she said.

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a potshot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statements in Washington DC saying that tarnishing the country's image abroad is a crime like treason and no patriot can do this.

"Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and he is also accountable for the country. Going out of the country and tarnishing the country's image is a crime like treason, no patriot can do this. But Rahul ji seems to have become frustrated with the Congress after losing for the third time in a row and is venting his frustration out in America by spoiling the country's image," Chouhan told ANI on Tuesday.

"The critical question of whether 90% of our population is meaningfully represented in India’s institutional structure - economy, government, education - demands an answer. At its core, this is an issue of fairness and justice," Gandhi said.

"Anything less than a comprehensive caste census, along with an economic and institutional survey is unacceptable," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party Spokesperson ANS Prasad on Tuesday suggested that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi should join Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and undergo training with the Sangh to gain a deeper insight into the RSS.

"It's incorrect for Rahul Gandhi to comment on the RSS without a proper understanding of the organisation. In my previous statement, I suggested that he should join the RSS and undergo training to gain a deeper insight. A news article focusing on this aspect would have been more effective. If given the chance, Rahul Gandhi should consider joining the RSS to broaden his perspective," Prasad said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday shared his experience of the party's bank accounts being sealed just months before the Lok Sabha elections.

While addressing an Indian diaspora event in Virginia's Herndon in US, the Congress leader revealed that freezing bank account left his party without funds for advertising, campaigning, or even transporting their leaders. Rahul recalled discussing the situation with Mallikarjun Kharge and the treasurer, who had lost confidence in what to do next. "Unki toh, hawa likal gayi thi (lost his confidence) about what to do next. " Rahul said.

Despite having fought multiple elections in the past, Rahul said that this was the first time all their bank accounts were sealed. "This is the first time in my life all the bank accounts were sealed. I said, 'dekhi jayegi, dekhte hain kya hota hai' (We'll see, let's see what happens) and that was the spirit with which we fought the election," said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul stressed that the fight in India is not just about politics but about fundamental rights.

"The fight (in India) is about whether a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India...whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear a kada in India or will be able to go to the Gurudwara...that's what the fight is about, and it is not just for Sikh, it is for all the religion..." he said.

"We have District Collectors; we should have District Producers. We need to focus on increasing production. We are not doing that because large monopolies prefer not to produce. It’s much more convenient to sell Chinese products. You make a profit from it, you don’t have to deal with the complexities of production, labour issues, or conflicts that production entails. And you make a significant amount of money, but it’s not sustainable. You can see social tensions rising and unemployment increasing. That’s what India needs to address," Gandhi said while interacting with students in US.

Terming the Lok Sabha polls as a "controlled election", Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not have been near 240 seats in "fair election."
While interacting with students and faculty at Georgetown University, Rahul Gandhi said that caste system had become a "big and fundamental question" in India. He said that the entire campaign was structured in a way that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could do his thing across the country. He stated that the Election Commission was doing as the BJP wanted.

He said, "There was also the caste census issue that became big and that's a fundamental question in India you know. Share what you say in Hindi (Bhagidari) of the institutions, the structure, the power of the Indian state. So, these things suddenly started to come together and at some level I was frankly blown away by the wisdom of India."

After launching a tirade of attacks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, opened up on his thoughts on his rivals and said he doesn't hate the Prime Minister but only disagrees with his point of view.

The Congress leader was interacting with students and faculty at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, on Monday (local time).

He also said that India essentially, is an idea of mixing and merging, while alleging that BJP and RSS have the "misunderstanding" of seeing India as a bunch of separate things.

"India at heart, is a union of languages, traditions, histories, religion, everything...When you have lunch here, you get first course, second course...we don't get that, we get a thali, and everything placed in it...it's a jumble and every food has the same value...so this idea of mixing and merging is in India," Rahul Gandhi said.

"When Indian people go to their religious places, they merge with their deity. This is the nature of India. The misunderstanding that BJP and RSS have is they think that India is a whole bunch of separate things. So we don't need to redefine anything, it's already there," he added.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party with a veiled reference to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stating that the ruling party doesn't understand that the country is for everyone, whereas for them whose headquarters are in Nagpur, only one ideology is important.

Interacting with the Indian diaspora at an event in Herndon, Virginia, the Congress leader made a reference to the different dishes on a food plate to highlight India's diversity. The LoP reiterated that India is a "union of states," adding that it means a union of different traditions and histories.

"In India, everything works together...if someone sits in front of Thali and says chawal (rice) is more important than Dal (pulses) and sabji (vegetable) is the least important, then what will happen? That's what BJP does," Rahul Gandhi said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has a packed schedule for his final day in the United States.

On Wednesday, the Congress leader is set to meet with several US congressmen on Capitol Hill and attend various other meetings before departing for India.

According to president of the Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi's three-day visit has been eventful. On Tuesday, he participated in a fireside chat at the University of Texas, a large community event with nearly 4,000 attendees, and a community dinner. Upon arriving in the current location, Gandhi had meetings with administration officials and engaged with students at Georgetown University.

Pitroda stated that the specifics of the meetings with US lawmakers are not yet clear, but they will be interacting with a considerable number of people from Capitol Hill, including congressmen.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said , "Halfway through the campaign, Modi didn't think that he was near 300-400 seats. We knew when he said that I speak directly to God. We knew that there we had blown him apart. We saw it as a psychological collapse. The coalition that brought Narendra Modi to power has collapsed. There is a huge nexus between the government and two or three large businesses. OBCs and Dalits are being taken for a ride."

Speaking at Washington DC metro area on Monday (local time), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Indians in the US are the bridge between the two countries.
The Congress leader said that the Indian diaspora has two identities- that of the US and India. They can transfer the US and Indian ideas back and forth.

"You are the bridge between these two great unions of states. And you make us very proud because we understand that what it meant for you to come here. We understand the difficulties and struggles you faced. But when you came here, you came with humility, respect and affection... You did not say that United States is inferior to us, or that you hate the United States... You are proud of India and proud of the United States," he said.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that the Congress's message is to spread love, not hatred.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Three months before elections our bank accounts were all sealed. We were discussing that now what to do. I said 'Dekhi Jayegi', let's see what we can do and we went into the elections."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "What the RSS says is that certain states are inferior to other states. Certain languages are inferior to other languages, certain religions are inferior to other religions, and certain communities are inferior to other communities...All the state has its history, tradition...RSS ideology is Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, Manipuri, these are inferior languages...that's what the fight is about...These people (RSS) don't understand India..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP doesn't understand that this country is of everyone. India is a union. In the Constitution, it is written clearly India that is Bharat is a union state, histories, tradition music and dance...they (BJP) say it is not a union, it is different."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Three months before elections our bank accounts were all sealed... We were discussing that now what to do...I said 'Dekhi Jayegi', let's see what we can do .. and we went into the elections..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Something has changed after the elections. Some people said 'Dar nahi lagta ab, dar nikal gaya ab'...It is interesting to me that the BJP and PM Modi spread so much fear, and the pressure of agencies on small businesses, everything vanished within seconds. It took years for them to spread this fear and vanished within seconds...In Parliament, I see the Prime Minsiter right up front and I can tell you that the idea of Mr Modi, 56-inch chest, direct connection with god, that’s all gone now, it’s is all history now..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi arrives at the Washington Dulles International Airport.

He is scheduled to meet with students at Georgetown University, followed by a diaspora event in Virginia.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday trained its guns at the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of the ruling party in Texas. The Congress leader is on a three-day trip to US, where he said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) looks at India as one idea while Congress thinks of India as a multiplicity of many ideas.

He said, "The RSS believes that India is one idea and we believe that India is a multiplicity of ideas and we believe by the way, very much like the United States, we believe that everybody should be allowed to participate."

Speaking at an event organized by the Indian diaspora in Dallas, US, Congress MP and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the fear of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Prime Minister Modi had vanished among the people of India immediately after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results earlier this year.

Sharing his perspective on post Lok Sabha election 2024 scenario, Rahul Gandhi said, "The other thing that happened that was very beautiful, that in fact, I was amazed that it happened so quickly was that fear of the BJP vanished, disappeared, gone and we saw that immediately. Within minutes of the election result, nobody in India was scared of the BJP or the Prime Minister of India."

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on facebook, said, "My interaction with students and faculty at the University of Texas was dynamic and engaging, with thoughtful discussions on politics, production, skill-respect in India, and the vital role of youth and women in shaping the future of our nations.
In my address to the Indian Diaspora, I emphasised key values essential to Indian politics: love, respect, and humility. I highlighted the importance of embracing India's rich diversity—its languages, cultures, and traditions—while upholding the principles enshrined in our Constitution. Like the U.S., India is a union of states, where all languages, religions and communities are equal.
The Indian Diaspora serves as a vital bridge between our countries, and their commitment to these values strengthens the bond between our two great unions. I am passionate about unleashing India's potential and look forward to more meaningful exchanges in the coming days."

Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, expressed his views on his role as the opposition leader while addressing an Indian diaspora event in Dallas, Texas, United States. Gandhi criticized the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasized the importance of incorporating love, respect, and humility into Indian politics.

During his speech, Gandhi acknowledged his responsibility to hold the government accountable and prevent them from running a "dictatorship" in parliament. However, he also highlighted that his actual role extends beyond mere opposition and is "broader" and "simpler" in nature.

"I'd like to tell you that I believe my role is injecting the values of love, respect and humility in Indian politics. I think what is missing in our political system and across parties is love, respect and humility," Gandhi stated, emphasizing the need for these virtues in the country's political landscape. He stressed that these values are lacking not only within the ruling party but across the political spectrum in India.

Congress leader Sam Pitroda, while addressing the Indian diaspora in Texas, said that his party leader Rahul Gandhi has a vision contrary to what BJP promotes and that he is not a "Pappu".

"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 said.

During his three-day visit to the United States, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP, addressed critical issues such as unemployment, education, and technology. He observed that both the West and India are facing job crises and suggested that India should "boost its own production" to tackle unemployment.

Gandhi pointed out that while many countries are struggling with unemployment, some nations, like China and Vietnam, are not encountering such problems. He traced the origins of this issue to historical changes in global production, stating, "The West, including the United States and Europe, once led global production in the mid-20th century."

Over the decades, Gandhi noted a significant shift in production, which gradually moved from the US to South Korea, Japan, and finally to China. Currently, China holds a dominant position in global production, a change that Gandhi attributes to the Western and Indian withdrawal from manufacturing.

"The West, including America and Europe, has largely abandoned the manufacturing sector, leaving it to countries like China and Vietnam," the LoP in Lok Sabha explained. He emphasized the need for India to focus on boosting its own production capabilities to address the unemployment crisis and adapt to the changing global economic landscape.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Listening is much more important than speaking...Listening is fundamental to understanding people...You don’t raise every issue but focus on addressing the fundamental ones. You choose your battles much more carefully...."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "The West has an employment problem. India has an employment problem... But many countries in the world don't have an employment problem. China certainly doesn't have an employment problem. Vietnam doesn't have an employment problem. So there are places on the planet that are not struggling with unemployment. There's a reason. If you look at the United States in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, they were the centre of global production. Anything that was made, cars, washing machines, TVs, all made in the United States. Production moved from the United States. It went to Korea, it went to Japan. Eventually, it went to China. If you look today, China is dominating global production... So what has happened? The West, America, Europe, and India have given up on the idea of production and they've handed it to China. The act of production creates jobs. What we do, what the Americans do, what the West does, is we organize consumption... India has to think about the act of production and organizing production...It's not acceptable that India simply says, okay, manufacturing, what you call manufacturing or production is going to be the preserve of the Chinese. It's going to be the preserve of the Vietnamese. It's going to be the preserve of Bangladesh...We have to reimagine how to produce in a democratic environment. Until we do that, we will face high levels of unemployment. And frankly, it's not sustainable. So you're going to see that if we carry on down this path of forgetting about manufacturing, you're going to see massive social problems coming in India and in the United States and Europe. The polarization of our politics is because of this..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "...Bharat Jodo Yatra fundamentally changed the way I think about my work. I would say it completely changed how I view politics, how I view our people, how I communicate with them, and how I listen to them. It wasn’t just me, many people were involved in the Yatra. For all of us, the most powerful thing that happened organically, something we didn’t even plan, was the introduction of the idea of love in politics... This is strange because if you look at political discourse in most countries, you’ll never find the word love. It simply doesn’t exist in that context. You’ll find hatred, anger, unfairness, corruption, all these words, but rarely the word 'love.' The Bharat Jodo Yatra actually introduced that idea into the Indian political system, and I’ve been amazed at how well that idea has worked..."

Rahul Gandhi said, "...Devta in India actually means a person whose internal feelings are exactly the same as his external expression, meaning he is a completely transparent being, it does not mean god. If a person tells me everything he believes or thinks and expresses it openly, that’s the definition of a Devta...What’s interesting about our politics is how do you suppress your own ideas, how do you suppress your own fears, greed, or ambitions and observe other people's fears and ambitions..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Many people say that India has a problem with skills. I don’t think India has a problem with skills. I think India has a problem with respect for skills. India does not have respect for people who possess skills. But I don’t believe there is any shortage of skills already available in India. Our education system doesn’t connect with the business system. You have a business system operating independently, and then you have an education system that exists in an ivory tower. The education system in no way connects deeply with India’s skill structure. Bridging that gap or linking these two systems, skills and education, through vocational training is fundamental. I think currently the huge problem with the education system is the ideological capture, where ideology is being fed through it..."

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared his insights on effective leadership and the importance of listening during an interaction with students at the University of Texas at Dallas in the US. He emphasized the significance of carefully selecting one's battles and focusing on addressing the fundamental issues rather than raising every single concern.

Gandhi highlighted the value of listening, stating, "Now I am coming to the conclusion that listening is much more important than speaking. Listening means to put myself in your position. If a farmer speaks to me, I will try to step myself in their day-to-day life and understand what they are trying to say. Listening is fundamental and then understanding the deeper dynamics. One must not raise every single issue. You focus on important issues and fight for it. One must choose their battles carefully."

When discussing his daily life as an opposition leader, Gandhi explained that the opposition's core purpose is to be the voice of the people. During parliamentary sessions, there is a sequence of events, but outside of that, his focus is on identifying and effectively raising the issues that concern the citizens of India. He stressed the importance of doing so with sensitivity and after carefully listening to and understanding the perspectives of individuals, groups, industries, and farmers.

Gandhi further elaborated on his approach to dealing with complex issues, stating that he tries to comprehend the nuances and intricacies before planning his day accordingly. He described the parliamentary sessions as a "war of ideas and words," where the opposition attempts to present their viewpoint while the government tries to suppress it. On non-parliamentary days, Gandhi engages with various stakeholders, including party members, businesspeople, and farmers, to listen to and understand their concerns.

The Congress MP arrived in Dallas, Texas, on Sunday for a three-day visit to the United States. He was greeted at the airport by Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, and members of the Indian diaspora.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "Many people say that India has a problem with skills. I don’t think India has a problem with skills. I think India has a problem with respect for skills. India does not have respect for people who possess skills. But I don’t believe there is any shortage of skills already available in India. Our education system doesn’t connect with the business system. You have a business system operating independently, and then you have an education system that exists in an ivory tower. The education system in no way connects deeply with India’s skill structure. Bridging that gap or linking these two systems, skills and education, through vocational training is fundamental. I think currently the huge problem with the education system is the ideological capture, where ideology is being fed through it..."

On Artificial Intelligence (AI), Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Every time you get a new technology, the argument is made that it's going to take jobs away. When computers first came, it was said that it is going to take jobs away. When calculators first came, the same thing was said...What happens is it does take jobs away from some people and then transfers them to other people. I'm not of the view that jobs will vanish but different types of jobs will be created and different types of systems will benefit more or less. I think, for example, the IT industry in India is going to have a really big serious problem because of AI. But I don't think a Bajaj-making scooter is going to have such a big problem. So it's going to hit different people differently. It's going to take away some jobs, it's going to add some jobs. If you position properly, it's an opportunity and if you position it badly you're in trouble...Computers created millions of jobs in India. It's a fact. So it depends on how flexible you are and how well you're looking at the future..."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "The West has an employment problem. India has an employment problem... But many countries in the world don't have an employment problem. China certainly doesn't have an employment problem. Vietnam doesn't have an employment problem. So there are places on the planet that are not struggling with unemployment. There's a reason. If you look at the United States in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, they were the centre of global production. Anything that was made, cars, washing machines, TVs, all made in the United States. Production moved from the United States. It went to Korea, it went to Japan. Eventually, it went to China. If you look today, China is dominating global production... So what has happened? The West, America, Europe, and India have given up on the idea of production and they've handed it to China. The act of production creates jobs. What we do, what the Americans do, what the West does, is we organize consumption... India has to think about the act of production and organizing production...It's not acceptable that India simply says, okay, manufacturing, what you call manufacturing or production is going to be the preserve of the Chinese. It's going to be the preserve of the Vietnamese. It's going to be the preserve of Bangladesh...We have to reimagine how to produce in a democratic environment. Until we do that, we will face high levels of unemployment. And frankly, it's not sustainable. So you're going to see that if we carry on down this path of forgetting about manufacturing, you're going to see massive social problems coming in India and in the United States and Europe. The polarization of our politics is because of this..."

The Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Piroda said that Rahul Gandhi will travel to Washington DC where there is a plan to have similar interactions with a variety of people, including think tanks, national press club and others.

"There are a lot of events planned with a variety of people because we find that people also have a lot of interest in the states we run with a Congress government. We look forward to a very successful visit and look forward to welcoming Rahul Gandhi to the US," he said.

Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that he was looking forward to engaging in meaningful discussions aimed at bolstering ties between India and the United States as he arrived in Dallas, Texas, on Sunday for his three-day visit.