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Rahul Gandhi
File:Rahul Gandhi.jpg
Vice President of the Indian National Congress
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 January 2013
PresidentSonia Gandhi
Preceded byOffice established
Chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 September 2007
Preceded byOffice established
Chairperson of the National Students Union
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 September 2007
Preceded byOffice established
General Secretary of the Indian National Congress
In office
25 September 2007 – 19 January 2013
PresidentSonia Gandhi
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of Parliament
for Amethi
Incumbent
Assumed office
17 May 2004
Preceded bySonia Gandhi
Personal details
Born (1970-06-19) 19 June 1970 (age 54)
New Delhi, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
Alma materUniversity of Delhi
Harvard University
Rollins College
Trinity College, Cambridge


Rahul Gandhi (pronunciationⓘ [ˈraːɦʊl ˈɡaːnd̪ʱiː]; born 19 June 1970) is the Vice President of the Indian National Congress party and the Chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India. Gandhi served as a General Secretary in the All India Congress Committee and represents Amethi as its Member of Parliament (MP). He is the second-ranked member of the Congress Working Committee.[1] He actually does not belong to Mahatma Gandhi.The name Gandhi in case of RAHUL comes from firoj gandhi where gandhi actually means MERCHANT and that is also recited in Gujarati as 'Gandi'. Gandhi comes from the politically influential Nehru–Gandhi family. His late father, Rajiv Gandhi, had served as the Prime Minister of India and had been President of the Congress Party. His mother Sonia Gandhi is currently serving as President of the Congress. He grew up in New Delhi, where his grandmother Indira Gandhi, was serving as Prime Minister until her assassination in 1984. His father was likewise assassinated in 1991. Due to security concerns, Gandhi constantly had to shift schools in his youth. He studied abroad under a pseudonym, his identity being known only to a select few including university officials and security agencies.[2]

After obtaining degrees in international relations and philosophy at the universities of Rollins and Cambridge, Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm in London, before establishing the Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm, Backops Services Private Ltd. In 2004, Gandhi re-entered public life; he ran for and won his father's old seat of Amethi in India's national legislature. A few years later, in 2007, Gandhi was elected as the General Secretary of the Congress party, a previously executive post held by his father, and by his great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru. Once described as a youth icon, Gandhi is the leader of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.[3] Amidst calls from Congress party veterans for his greater involvement in party politics and national government, Gandhi was elected Congress Vice President in 2013.[1]

Early life and career

Rahul Gandhi was born in Delhi on 19 June 1970,[4] as the first of the two children of Rajiv Gandhi, who later became the Prime Minister of India, and Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who later became President of Indian National Congress, and as the grandson of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He is also the great-grandson of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Priyanka Vadra is his younger sister[5] and Robert Vadra is his brother-in-law.

Rahul Gandhi attended St. Columba's School, Delhi[6] before entering The Doon School in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) from 1981 to 1983. Meanwhile, his father had joined politics and became the Prime Minister on 31 October 1984 when Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Due to the security threats faced by Indira Gandhi's family from Sikh extremists, Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka were home-schooled thereafter.[7] Rahul Gandhi joined St. Stephen's College, Delhi in 1989 for his undergraduate education but moved to Harvard University after he completed the first year examinations.[2] In 1991, after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE[8] during an election rally, he shifted to Rollins College due to security concerns and completed his B.A. in 1994.[9] During this period, he assumed the pseudonym Raul Vinci and his identity was known only to the university officials and security agencies.[2][10] He further went on to obtain an M.Phil from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995.[11] After graduation, Rahul Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm, in London.[12] In 2002 he was one of the directors of Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm Backops Services Private Ltd.[13]

Political career

In March 2004, Rahul Gandhi announced his entry into politics by announcing that he would contest the May 2004 elections, standing for his father's former constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of Parliament.[14] The seat had been held by his mother until she transferred to the neighbouring seat of Rae Bareilly. The Congress had been doing poorly in Uttar Pradesh, holding only 10 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state at the time.[15] At the time, this move generated surprise among political commentators, who had regarded his sister Priyanka as being the more charismatic and likely to succeed. It generated speculation that the presence of a young member of India's most famous political family would reinvigorate the Congress party's political fortunes among India's youthful population[16] In his first interview with foreign media, Rahul Gandhi portrayed himself as a uniter of the country and condemned "divisive" politics in India, saying that he would try to reduce caste and religious tensions.[14]

Rahul Gandhi won, retaining the family stronghold with a margin of over 100,000.[17] Until 2006 he held no other office.[18]

Rahul Gandhi and his sister, who is married to Robert Vadra, managed their mother's campaign for re-election to Rae Bareilly in 2006, which was won easily with a margin greater than 400,000 votes.[19] He was a prominent figure in the Congress campaign for the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections; Congress, however, won only 22 seats with 8.53% of votes.[20]

Rahul Gandhi was appointed General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on 24 September 2007 in a reshuffle of the party secretariat.[21] In the same reshuffle, he was also given charge of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.[22] In 2008, senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily mentioned "Rahul-as-PM" idea when the PM of India Manmohan Singh was still abroad.[23]

In July 2012, Union Law Minister, Salman Khurshid stated that Rahul Gandhi should provide a "new ideology" to meet the present day challenges, the Congress party was facing.[24]

On 19 January 2013, in a party conclave of AICC, Rahul Gandhi formally took charge of Congress Vice President. He was elevated to the post of Vice President at the party's Jaipur conclave.[25] As vice-president, he is second only to party President and his mother Sonia Gandhi.[26]

On 27 September 2013, Rahul Gandhi surprised everyone by openly criticizing Prime Minister of India and his government for coming out with an ordinance to undo the effect of the order passed by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by which convicted criminals could not contest election.[27]

His rise to the top of the Congress Party has not been without controversy. As a member of the Nehru–Gandhi family, many, such as his political opponents in the BJP and AAP see him as a symbol of dynastic politics in the Congress Party.[28]

His recent efforts as a lawmaker have centered around anti-corruption legislations and those that provide definitive rights to specific segments of society. The draft of six legislations on which Gandhi has been laying thrust are the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill; the Whistle Blowers Protection Bill; the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill; the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill; the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill and the Public Procurement Bill.[29]

Youth politics

In September 2007 when he was appointed general secretary in charge of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Rahul Gandhi promised to reform youth politics. In his attempt to prove himself thus, in November 2008 Rahul Gandhi held interviews at his 12, Tughlak Lane residence in New Delhi to handpick at least 40 people who will make up the think-tank of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), an organisation that he has been keen to transform since he was appointed general secretary in September 2007.[30]

Under Rahul Gandhi, IYC and NSUI has seen a dramatic increase in members from two lakhs to twenty five lakhs.[31] The Indian Express wrote in 2011, "Three years later, as another organisational reshuffle is in the offing, Rahul's dream remains unrealised with party veterans manipulating internal elections in the Youth Congress and a host of people with questionable background gaining entry into it."[32]

2009 elections

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi retained his Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival by a margin of over 333,000 votes. Rahul Gandhi was credited with the Congress revival in Uttar Pradesh where they won 21 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats.[33] He spoke at 125 rallies across the country in six weeks. The nation wide elections defied the predictions made by pre-poll predictions and exit polls and gave a clear mandate to the incumbent Congress government (80 seats gained).

Land acquisition protests arrest

On 11 May 2011, Rahul Gandhi was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police at Bhatta Parsaul village after he turned out in support of agitating farmers demanding more compensation for their land being acquired for a highway project.[34] However, social activist Medha Patkar has told that Gandhi reached the area only after they have finished the work and Gandhi didn't have a word with those activists who were woking in the area already.[35]

2012 Assembly elections

Rahul Gandhi campaigned during the 2012 Assembly elections in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh election for almost two months, holding 200 rallies. However Congress emerged as the fourth party in the state, winning 28 seats, an increase of six seats from the previous 2007 elections. Out of the 15 seats in the Amethi parliamentary constituency, Congress won 2 of the 15 seats.[36][37]

Congress activists defended the result in Uttar Pradesh, saying "there's a big difference between state elections and national polls and in the end there is only the first family, a hope and a prayer",[38] and pointing out the turn around attributed to Rahul Gandhi in the 2009 Lok Sabha national elections in the state. However, Rahul Gandhi publicly accepted responsibility for the result in an interview after the result was declared.[39]

In the Gujarat assembly elections held later in the year, Gandhi was not made the head of the election campaign. This was seen and regarded by opponents as an admission of defeat and was termed as a tactic to avoid blame of defeat.[40][41][42] Congress won 57 seats in the assembly of 182, which was 2 less than the previous elections in 2007. Later in bypolls, Congress lost 4 more seats to BJP.

Political and social views

National security

Rahul Gandhi with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.

In December 2010 during the United States diplomatic cables leak, WikiLeaks leaked a cable dated 3 August 2009, where the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh had hosted a lunch on 20 July 2009 for the then General Secretary of the AICC, Rahul Gandhi. One of the guests who was invited for the lunch was the then United States Ambassador to India, Timothy J. Roemer. In a "candid conversation" with Roemer, he said that he believes Hindu extremists pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants. Rahul Gandhi referred specifically to more-polarising figures in the Bharatiya Janata Party. Also responding to the ambassador's query about the activities in the region by the Islamist militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Rahul Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim population.[43][44] In a response to this, the BJP heavily criticised Rahul Gandhi for his statements. BJP spokesperson, Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Rahul Gandhi saying that his language was a bigger threat to India, dividing the people of the country on communal grounds. Speaking to reporters, Prasad said, "In one stroke Mr. Rahul Gandhi has sought to give a big leverage to the propaganda to all the extremist and terrorist groups in Pakistan, and also some segments of Pakistani establishment. It would also seriously compromise India's fight against terror as also our strategic security." Adding that terrorism has no religion, he said that Rahul Gandhi had shown his lack of understanding India.[45]

Rahul Gandhi has also been critical of groups like the RSS and has compared them to terrorist organisations like SIMI.[46][47]

A day after the 2011 Mumbai bombings, Rahul Gandhi declared: "It is very difficult to stop every single terrorist attack. The idea is that we have to fight terrorism at the local level. We have improved in leaps and bounds. But terrorism is something that it is impossible to stop all the time."[48]

After the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, at a Madhya Pradesh election rally in Indore, Rahul Gandhi claimed that a police officer has told him that Pakistan’s ISI was trying to recruit disgruntled riot-affected youngsters.[49][50] However, the district administration, the UP state government, the Union Home Ministry, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) denied any such development.[51][52] This remark drew heavy criticism from various political outifts such as BJP, SP, CPI and JD(U).[53] Congress's Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi needed to apologize to the Muslim community for this remark.[54] In reply to the ECI's show-cause notice to explain why action should not be initiated against him for violating the Model Code of Conduct, Gandhi said that he didn't intend to exploit communal sentiments but was referring to divisive politics.[55] The BJP also asked the government to explain why Mr Gandhi, who holds no post in the government, is being briefed by intelligence officers on important security issues.[56]

Lokpal

Rahul Gandhi opines that the Lokpal should be made a constitutional body and it should be made accountable to the Parliament, just like the Election Commission of India. He also feels that Lokpal alone cannot root out corruption. This statement came out on 25 August 2011, on the 10th day of Anna Hazare's fast. This statement was considered as a delaying tactic by the opposition and Team Anna's members. It was consequently slammed by prominent opposition leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.[57] The Parliamentary Standing Committee led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi tabled the Jan Lokpal Bill report in the Rajya Sabha on 9 December 2011. The report recommended the Lokpal to be made into a constitutional body. In response, Hazare attacked Rahul Gandhi, claiming he had made the bill "weak and ineffective".[58]

Poverty

According to Gandhi poor people should dream the biggest dreams as it is important for progress of the country.[59][60] During a function in Allahabad, Gandhi termed poverty as a state of mind for which he drew sharp criticism from various sections.[61][62]

Personal life

In 2004, Rahul Gandhi told the press that he had a girlfriend Veronique Cartelli, a Spanish architect who lives in Venezuela.[63][64]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rahul Gandhi gets bigger role in Congress, appointed party vice-president". The Times of India. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Rahul completed education in US under a false name – India – DNA. Daily News and Analysis. (30 April 2009). Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  3. ^ Saxena, Shruti (19 September 2010). "Rahul Gandhi: The dynamic youth icon". Zee News. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  4. ^ Detailed Profile – Shri Rahul Gandhi – Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) – Who's Who – Government: National Portal of India. India.gov.in. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  5. ^ M. V. Kamath. "Does Congress want to perpetuate Nehru-Gandhi dynasty?". Samachar. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
  6. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/people/Unplugged-Rahul-Gandhi/articleshow/4144215.cms
  7. ^ Sanjay Hazarika (16 July 1989). "Foes of Gandhi make targets of his children". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  8. ^ "The accused, the charges, the verdict". Frontline. 7 February 2010.
  9. ^ "Newsweek apologises to Rahul Gandhi". The Indian Express. 27 January 2007.
  10. ^ A Question Of TheHeir & Now. Outlook India. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  11. ^ "Cambridge varsity confirms Rahul's qualifications". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  12. ^ "The Great White Hope: The Son Also Rises". Rediff. 13 April 2004.
  13. ^ Want to be CEO of Rahul Gandhi's firm? rediff "his start-up BPO venture, Backops Services Private Ltd ... call centre-like operation providing engineering detail and structural planning services ... based in Mumbai, was incorporated in Delhi on 28 May 2002 ... Gandhi and family friend Manoj Muttu as the two directors"
  14. ^ a b "Rahul attacks 'divisive' politics". BBC News. 12 April 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  15. ^ Majumder, Sanjoy (22 March 2004). "Gandhi fever in Indian heartlands". BBC News. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  16. ^ Biswas, Soutin (23 March 2004). "The riddle of Rahul Gandhi". BBC News. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  17. ^ "India elections: Good day – bad day". BBC News. 2 June 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Varun' Feroze is better – BJP young gun set for entry to Lok Sabha picks his name". The Telegraph. 20 May 2006. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  19. ^ Majumder, Sanjoy (11 May 2006). "India's communists upbeat over future". BBC News. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  20. ^ "Uttar Pradesh low caste landslide". BBC News. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  21. ^ "Rahul Gandhi gets Congress post". BBC News. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
  22. ^ "Rahul Gandhi gets Youth Congress Charge". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 25 zzz19zzz 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ In the family way. Indian Express (3 October 2008). Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  24. ^ "Cong directionless, only seen Rahul's cameos: Khurshid". 10 July 2012.
  25. ^ "Rahul Gandhi gets bigger role in Congress, appointed party vice-president". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  26. ^ "AICC endorses Rahul Gandhi as Congress vice president". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  27. ^ "Rahul Gandhi calling ordinance on MPs 'complete nonsense' is pure politics: BJP". The Economic Times. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  28. ^ Rahul Gandhi as PM? BJP, AAP cry foul over dynastic politics : North, News - India Today
  29. ^ "BJP blocking six anti-corruption bills: Rahul Gandhi". The Economic Times. PTI. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  30. ^ "Rahul Gandhi's talent hunt". The Economic Times. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)[dead link‍]
  31. ^ "Rahul Gandhi's Youth Congress gets overwhelming response". DNA India. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  32. ^ "Youth Congress loses battle to shed family, patronage, money". The Indian Express. August 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  33. ^ "Sonia secures biggest margin, Rahul follows". The Times of India. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  34. ^ "Rahul Gandhi Arrested in Uttar Pradesh, Released". Daiji World. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  35. ^ https://www.firstpost.com/politics/for-the-mumbai-poor-why-medha-patkars-perseverance-might-pay-off-1459993.html
  36. ^ "Elections". NDTV. 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2013.[dead link‍]
  37. ^ Benedict, Kay (12 March 2012). "Voters reject Congress icon Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh". India Today. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  38. ^ Naqvi, Saba (19 March 2012). "Rahul Gandhi : Zero Worship?". Outlook India. Retrieved 6 March 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  39. ^ "Zero Worship?". Outlook India. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  40. ^ "Rahul Gandhi not to head Gujarat polls campaign". Economic Times. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  41. ^ "Rahul Gandhi not campaigning in Gujarat to avoid blame of defeat: Narendra Modi". DNA. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  42. ^ "Congress well aware of defeat in Gujarat, Rahul's speeches show off: BJP". Deccan Chronicle. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  43. ^ "Reaching Out to Rahul Gandhi and Other Young Parliamentarians". Wikileaks. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  44. ^ Copy of diplomatic cable dated 3 August 2009 (16 December 2010). "US Embassy Cables: Ambassador Warned That Radical Hindu Groups May Pose Bigger Threat Than LeT in India". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 December 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ "Rahul Gandhi Responds to WikiLeaks Controversy on Hindu Extremism Remarks". NDTV. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  46. ^ RSS is 'fanatical' like banned outfit SIMI: Rahul. The Economic Times. 6 October 2010
  47. ^ RSS as fanatical as SIMI: Rahul. Hindustan Times (6 October 2010). Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  48. ^ "Difficult to stop all terror attacks: Rahul". Bhubaneswar. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  49. ^ Fresh row over Rahul Gandhi remark on UP riots | Latest News & Updates at DNAIndia.com
  50. ^ Congress, BJP lock horns over Rahul Gandhi's ISI remark | Business Standard
  51. ^ Home Ministry distances itself from Rahul Gandhi's ISI remarks
  52. ^ Muzaffarnagar riot victims furious over Rahul Gandhi's ISI remark | NDTV.com
  53. ^ Rahul Gandhi gets it from Left and Right for ISI remark - Times Of India
  54. ^ Rahul Gandhi must say sorry to Muslims for Muzaffarnagar ISI remark: Jairam Ramesh - Times Of India
  55. ^ Rahul Gandhi replies to Election Commission's notice over his ISI remark, denies model code violation : North, News - India Today
  56. ^ Rahul Gandhi attacked for ISI remarks about Muzaffarnagar Muslims | NDTV.com
  57. ^ Sulekha news (27 August 2011). "Sushma tears into Rahul's address on Lokpal". Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  58. ^ DNA correspondent (9 December 2011). "Anna Hazare blames Rahul Gandhi for 'ineffective' Lokpal Bill". Retrieved 10 December 2011. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  59. ^ "Poor must dream big to take India forward: Rahul Gandhi". DNA India. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  60. ^ "Opposition's accusations should be dealt strongly -Rahul Gandhi". Indian Express. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  61. ^ "Rahul Gandhi mocks the poor, says poverty is just a state of mind". India Today. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  62. ^ "Rahul Gandhi's 'poverty is a state of mind' remark draws flak". NDTV. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  63. ^ "My girlfriend is Spanish: Rahul Gandhi". The Indian Express. 28 April 2004.
  64. ^ "I have a girlfriend in Venezuela: Rahul". The Island. 30 July 2004.
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