Rahul's US Visit Triggers Fresh BJP Attack: Will Vote Chori and India's Politics Take Centre Stage

All eyes are now on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's two-day visit to Columbia University and the University of Chicago from November 17. Political circles, particularly the BJP, view the visit as part of a series of foreign trips allegedly aimed at running down India on international platforms.

But what is the real agenda?

According to Sam Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC), there is no predetermined agenda. Only a series of meetings and interactions have been lined up for Rahul Gandhi.

On the first day, Rahul will address students and academicians at Columbia University. The programme will be a fireside chat covering student movements, democracy, education, employment and the economy.

He will then travel to Chicago, where he will interact with Dr Robert A Pape, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and founding director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST). Pape's areas of expertise include geopolitics, international security, terrorism and political violence.

Pitroda said Rahul would also address around 350 students on global issues, including the Iran war and student protests across the world.

Asked whether the discussion could include protests in Bangladesh and Nepal, where demonstrations had called for regime change, Pitroda said there was no written script. The programme would have a moderator, and the questions would depend on the course of the interaction. Bangladesh, too, could figure in the discussion, he indicated.

He pointed out that student protests had taken place in Indonesia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Albania and India. The discussion, he said, would focus on why such unrest was occurring across countries.

According to Pitroda, Gen Z believes that present governments are leaving behind huge debt burdens for future generations. They are not creating enough jobs but are spending substantial amounts on wars, leaving young people to bear the burden of repaying the debt.

The argument sounds reasonable in theory. However, it also raises the possibility that the recent protests in India, including those in Delhi, could figure prominently in the interactions. Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders have repeatedly accused the BJP government of failing to create adequate employment opportunities and of leaving behind a huge debt burden for future generations.

The issue of 'Vote Chori' could also come up, particularly if Rahul Gandhi uses the interactions to explain his allegations of electoral manipulation and his criticism of the present government.

Such discussions could provide fresh ammunition to the BJP to attack Rahul Gandhi and the Congress after his return.

The BJP has already alleged that Rahul Gandhi used the Bharat Summit, attended by representatives from several countries, including those critical of India's policies, to attack the Modi government and reiterate his 'Vote Chori' allegations. It believes he could use the platforms at Columbia and Chicago to pursue a similar line of argument while interacting with academicians, students and think-tank representatives.

While the discussions may begin with student unrest and global developments, the focus could eventually shift to India and its domestic politics, political observers feel.

The BJP has questioned the purpose of Rahul Gandhi's forthcoming US visit, particularly his engagements at Columbia University and the University of Chicago. Its criticism has centred on three issues: his frequent foreign trips, his alleged associations with individuals critical of India, and his repeated allegations of electoral manipulation.

BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi challenged Rahul Gandhi to clarify whether he was travelling to the US to interact with students or with "anti-India forces".

Trivedi also alleged that Rahul Gandhi had never spent even 15 days campaigning in a poll-bound state. Excluding the Covid period, he claimed, there had never been a stretch of 25 consecutive weeks when Gandhi had not travelled abroad.

Meanwhile, speaking to a national television channel, Pitroda dismissed the BJP's allegations. He said that when Rahul came to the US for two days, they would discuss several issues. He firmly rejected the suggestion that their interactions would involve people hostile to India.

"There is no way I would do anything against my country," he said.

Pitroda reiterated that the engagements had been planned well in advance and were intended to discuss facts and international developments. He said there was no fixed agenda for his discussions with Rahul Gandhi.

"We don't meet enemies of the nation. It is my country also. No way I would do anything against my country," he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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