On February 28, Indian MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi delivered a speech at Cambridge University which got everyone talking. The former Congress President touched upon several things regarding India’s case in the speech ranging from Pegasus to the state of Democracy in India.
The reaction to Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the University in England received mixed reactions from his countrymen. While several people have stood up with him, and praised him for his eloquence, others have hurled criticism at him for trying to ‘ruin the image of the country’.
Rahul Gandhi was in his Alma Mater to deliver a lecture on the topic of “learning to listen in the 21st century’. Rahul Gandhi had completed his M. Phil in development studies, from the same university. Cambridge University has a culture of inviting its alumni students to speak as fellow lecturers.
This old Uncle went to ask questions to RG without even watching his Cambridge lecture and even tried to teach him a lesson.
But Rahul Gandhi asked him did you watch my lecture then he said no. Glad that RaGa schooled him in front of the crowd.
(Added RG’s reply first) pic.twitter.com/WDSxohqsCW
— Shantanu (@shaandelhite) March 5, 2023
Although Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the current Modi regime made the most noise in India, he touched upon several other topics as well. Gandhi dedicated a huge chunk of his time to talking about the need for the promotion of manufacturing in the developing country.
While talking about the Indian Government, Rahul Gandhi started by praising a few pro-poor policies of the country, which included lending gas cylinders to women and opening bank accounts for them.
This is what AajTak attributed from Rahul Gandhi’s Cambridge lecture and the anchor was @anjanaomkashyap. It’s high time that Congress should drag the channel, anchor and its owner into the court. @aroonpurie sharm?? pic.twitter.com/ZNL8ZjoPX4
— Shantanu (@shaandelhite) March 5, 2023
However, the 52-year-old shifted to talking about how a few policies wouldn’t change the basic structure of Indian democracy.
“Indian democracy is under pressure, is under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India and we are navigating that space. What is happening is that the institutional framework which is required for a democracy — Parliament, a free press, the judiciary — just the idea of mobilisation, just the idea of moving around … these are all getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy
Rahul Gandhi tells in London that an Indian leader can talk about India in Cambridge University or Harvard University but can’t give a talk in an Indian University. Same also goes for some Indian-origin professors!
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) March 5, 2023
Further in his speech, Rahul Gandhi also talked about the much-debated Pegasus issue. Gandhi opened up about the presence of Pegasus in his phone. He also stated that a few intelligence officers warned of ‘being careful’ while speaking on the phone as it was under surveillance.
Indian Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur hit back at Rahul Gandhi. He cornered the leader for speaking ill about the country in foreign land.
Just when Rahul Gandhi was speaking in Cambridge about shrinking space for dissent, Mamata Banerjee arrested and foisted criminal cases on Kaustav Bagchi, advocate Calcutta High Court, for criticising her. He was quoting from a book written by Mamata’s close aide for 13 years… pic.twitter.com/mY7aWX0DqX
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 5, 2023
