'Wouldn't it be redundant to call INDIA Alliance?': Rahul Gandhi's oops moment in US sparks outburst (WATCH)
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, faced a moment of embarrassment during his recent visit to the United States, where he inadvertently triggered a debate about the nomenclature of the opposition coalition known as I.N.D.I.A.
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FollowRahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, faced a moment of embarrassment during his recent visit to the United States, where he inadvertently triggered a debate about the nomenclature of the opposition coalition known as I.N.D.I.A. The coalition, which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, has been a focal point in Indian politics, aiming to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During an event in Virginia's Herndon, Rahul Gandhi was confronted by a student who pointed out a perceived redundancy in the coalition's name. The student inquired, “Wouldn’t it be redundant to call it I.N.D.I.A - Alliance?” Gandhi's response was met with laughter from the audience, adding to the awkwardness of the moment.
In response to the student's question, Rahul Gandhi initially dismissed the query, saying, “Incoherent stuff, incoherent stuff... by the way, it is I.N.D.I.A alliance, not INDI. That’s a BJP framing.” When asked what the 'A' in I.N.D.I.A stands for, Gandhi clarified that it stood for "Alliance," which led the student to highlight the redundancy in the full name of the coalition.
This moment of miscommunication became a point of contention and led to a flurry of responses on social media platform X.
"Owned & how! Student: Indi alliance - does it agree on anything except of removal of PM Modi… Rahul : incoherent stuff.. incoherent stuff.. by the way it is I.N.D.I.A alliance not INDI.. that’s a BJP framing.. Student: What does A stand for? Rahul: Alliance Student: Then, Wouldn’t it be redundant to call it I.N.D.I.A - alliance," wrote BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla along with video of the viral moment.
"If anybody asks, why RaGa is called Pappu, the latest proof is this. RaGa is unable to shed the tag since his first interview with Arnab in TimesNow back in 2014. He has been fairly consistent with his Absurd thoughts," remarked another user on X.
Another netizen quipped, "Look how uneasy both of them got. Question came out of syllabus."
A fourth user said, "Memers are kept busy. It’s a delight for Memers to watch RaGa in action."
Here's a look at some of the reactions on X:
Aside from the controversial moment about the alliance's name, Rahul Gandhi used the platform to launch a scathing critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. At the event, he claimed that the "fear of Prime Minister Narendra Modi" among the populace had dissipated following the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Something has changed after the elections. Some people said ‘Darr nahi lagta ab, dar nikal gaya ab' (We are not afraid anymore, the fear is gone now). 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," news agency ANI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying at the event.
“In Parliament, I see the Prime Minister 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,” Rahul Gandhi added.
"The 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," the Congress leader alleged.
The BJP quickly responded to Gandhi’s remarks, labeling him a “black spot” in Indian democracy. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused Gandhi of trying to undermine Indian democracy with his comments made abroad. He further criticized Gandhi’s leadership and questioned his maturity and understanding of Indian politics.
"Everyone knows that Rahul Gandhi is an immature and part-time leader. But people have put a huge responsibility on his shoulders since he became the leader of opposition (in the Lok Sabha). But I feel sad to say that Rahul Gandhi is a black spot in Indian democracy. He does not even know what to talk about when he visits a foreign country," Bhatia said.
The party's response included a retort to Gandhi’s remarks about the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), with Bhatia accusing Gandhi of making baseless allegations. Gandhi had alleged that the RSS’s ideology was restrictive towards women, contrasting it with his own party’s more progressive stance.
During an interaction at an event, Gandhi alleged, “The BJP and the RSS believe that women should be restricted to a particular role. They should stay at home, they should cook the food, they should not talk too much and we believe that women should aspire to whatever they want to do.”
"The RSS believes that India is one idea. We believe that India is a multiplicity of ideas," he claimed during his address to the Indian American community.
