Rahul Gandhi is no 'Pappu'. He is a highly educated strategist: Sam Pitroda

'Rahul is highly educated, well-read, a strategist with deep thinking on any subject and sometimes it is not very easy to understand him, said Congress leader Sam Pitroda

Addressing the Indian diaspora in Texas on Monday, senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda strongly defended the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, against the derogatory moniker ‘Pappu’ often used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Pitroda emphasised that Rahul Gandhi is a highly educated individual with a sharp strategic mind.

“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, according to ANI.

Pitroda, who serves as the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, praised Gandhi’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, principles that he believes are central to Gandhi’s vision for India.

“Going to school in the early fifties, Gandhian thoughts were the core of our learning. Inclusion and diversity were not just words – this was what we live by, and when I begin to see changes in our society that attack the basic fabric, I worry about it. So, the idea... is to make sure that we respect our people irrespective of race, religion, language, or state. We create the 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,” Pitroda stated.

He highlighted that Gandhi’s vision is centred around celebrating India’s diversity and fostering inclusion. “Rahul Gandhi has a different agenda, one that focuses on issues we have long struggled to address – inclusion and the celebration of diversity,” Pitroda said.

Addressing the importance of protecting democracy, Pitroda warned against complacency. “Democracy is not that simple... Democracy requires work from a large number of people like us. We can't take it for granted because there are people who are focused on hijacking democracy. We have seen it in many countries. At the time of independence, there was this fervour about the independence movement, and leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel, and Subhash Chandra Bose were very clear about the kind of nation they wanted to build,” he said.

He also encouraged the Indian diaspora to support the Indian Overseas Congress, improve its activities, and bring in a more diverse group of members. Rahul Gandhi is currently on a tour of the United States, where he will participate in multiple engagements.

(With input from agencies)