Rahul Gandhi is an Indian politician and a former member of the Indian Parliament, who represented the constituencies of Amethi, Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala in the Lok Sabha.
76 Facts About Rahul Gandhi
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Rahul Gandhi is a member of the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress and was the party president from December 2017 to July 2019.
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Rahul Gandhi is the chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress, the National Students Union of India and a trustee of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust.
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Rahul Gandhi attained primary education in New Delhi and Dehradun but was later homeschooled because of security concerns.
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Rahul Gandhi began his undergraduate career at St Stephen's College before moving to Harvard University.
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Rahul Gandhi soon returned to India and established the Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm, Backops Services Private Ltd.
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In 2004, Rahul Gandhi announced to enter active politics and successfully contested the general elections held that year from Amethi, a seat that was earlier held by his father; he won again from the constituency in 2009 and 2014.
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Rahul Gandhi led the Congress' campaign in the 2014 Indian general elections; the party suffered its worst electoral result in its history, winning only 44 seats compared to 206 seats won previously in the 2009 general election.
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Rahul Gandhi's paternal grandfather Feroze Gandhi was a Parsi from Gujarat.
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Rahul Gandhi is the great-grandson of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
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Rahul Gandhi attended St Columba's School, Delhi before entering the all-boys' boarding The Doon School in Dehradun from 1981 to 1983.
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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.
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Rahul Gandhi further went on to obtain an Master of Philosophy from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995.
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In 2002, Rahul Gandhi returned to India and set up his technology consultancy viz.
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Rahul Gandhi then opened BackOps UK, a firm which used to acquire defence contracts from foreign companies that supplied to the Indian armed forces.
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Subramanian Swamy pointed out that Rahul Gandhi declared himself as British citizen in the company's filings but the Congress party said that it was a yearly mistake.
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In March 2004, Rahul Gandhi announced his entry into politics by declaring that he would contest the 14th general elections from his father's former constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha, which is India's lower house of Parliament.
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Rahul Gandhi's mother had held the seat until she transferred to the neighboring constituency of Raebareli.
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When Rahul Gandhi made this announcement, it came as a surprise to political commentators who had perceived his sister Priyanka Rahul Gandhi as the more charismatic and probable successor.
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Rahul Gandhi secured a victory by a substantial margin of over 100,000 votes, thereby maintaining the stronghold of his family in Uttar Pradesh.
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Rahul Gandhi did not hold any official role or position within the government.
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On September 24,2007, Rahul Gandhi was appointed as the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, which is the governing body of the Congress party.
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In September 2007, Rahul Gandhi was appointed as general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress, segment of the Congress party that represents the younger generation and the National Students Union of India the faction that caters to the student community.
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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.
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In 2009, during Rahul Gandhi's visit to West Bengal, the state unit of the Youth Congress registered 1 million members.
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However, after Rahul Gandhi's visit, the number surged to 150 to 200 new members per day in the same regions.
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Rahul Gandhi advocated for greater student representation in decision-making processes and supported student leaders in their endeavours.
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Rahul Gandhi campaigned across India covering 22 states and 107 constituencies.
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Rahul Gandhi's campaigning included addressing public rallies and meetings, interacting with voters, and highlighting the party's vision and agenda for the country.
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Rahul Gandhi specifically focused on issues such as rural development, education, employment, and women's empowerment.
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Rahul Gandhi, emphasised the importance of youth participation in politics and urged them to be more involved in shaping the country's future.
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Rahul Gandhi retained his Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival by a margin of over 370,000 votes.
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Rahul Gandhi was credited with the Congress revival in Uttar Pradesh where they won 21 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats.
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Rahul Gandhi campaigned during the 2012 Assembly elections in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh election for almost two months, holding 200 rallies.
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However, Rahul Gandhi publicly accepted responsibility for the result in an interview after the result was declared.
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Rahul Gandhi contested the 2014 Indian general election from his constituency, Amethi, and led the election campaign of the Indian National Congress.
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Rahul Gandhi held the Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival, BJP's Smriti Irani, by a reduced margin of 107,000 votes.
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In 2016, Rahul Gandhi was granted an exemption by the Supreme Court of India in 2016.
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Rahul Gandhi used the slogan "Chowkidar Chor Hai" as a jibe against Narendra Modi, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2019 Indian general election.
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Rahul Gandhi led the election campaign of the Indian National Congress party.
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Rahul Gandhi contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from two constituencies, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala.
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Rahul Gandhi won the Wayanad seat in the 2019 general elections with over 60 percent vote share.
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On 23 March 2023, Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by a court in Surat, Gujarat, under charges of defamation related to remarks he had made against Narendra Modi during the 2019 Indian general election campaign.
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Rahul Gandhi's lawyers have stated that they would appeal at a higher court and have secured a one month stay on the sentence.
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Rahul Gandhi referred specifically to more-polarising figures in the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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Also responding to the ambassador's query about the activities in the region by the Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, Rahul Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim population.
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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.
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Rahul Gandhi has been critical of groups like the RSS and has compared them to terrorist organizations like SIMI.
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Congress's Jairam Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi needed to apologise to the Muslim community for this remark.
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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, Rahul Gandhi said that he didn't intend to exploit communal sentiments but was referring to divisive politics.
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The BJP asked the government to explain why Rahul Gandhi, who holds no post in the government, is being briefed by intelligence officers on important security issues.
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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.
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Rahul Gandhi opined that Lokpal alone cannot root out corruption, rather a strong political will is needed to remove corruption.
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Rahul Gandhi's statement was considered a delaying tactic by the opposition and Team Anna's members.
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On 19 April 2015 Rahul Gandhi addressed the farmer and worker's rally, named as Kisan Khet Mazdoor Rally in Ramlila Maidan.
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Rahul Gandhi borrowed thousands of crores from industrialists for his several campaigns and advertisements.
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Rahul Gandhi will give your land to his industrialist friends.
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Rahul Gandhi razzed the government as a "suit-boot government", a reference to Modi's monogrammed suit which he wore in the Republic Day meeting with Barack Obama.
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Rahul Gandhi further accused the government of diluting the bill and called it "anti-farmer".
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Rahul Gandhi drew a parallel between "daylight robbery" and the bill.
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Rahul Gandhi has spoken publicly about the importance of women's empowerment and gender equality in India.
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In 2019, while addressing students in Chennai, Rahul Gandhi has again called for 33 per cent reservation of all parliamentary Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats for women, as well as government jobs.
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Rahul Gandhi had backed the repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and the decriminalization of homosexuality, stating that he believed that issues related to personal freedom should be left to the individual.
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Rahul Gandhi launched the yatra on 7 September 2022 at Kanyakumari after paying tributes to his late father Rajiv Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar.
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Rahul Gandhi unfurled that national flag at the historic clock tower and sang the national anthem to send a strong message of nationalism.
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Rahul Gandhi has been very concerned about the environmental degradation of the world and has said that unless they are not made a political issue, they won't get the attention they deserve.
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Rahul Gandhi criticized Environment Impact Assessment 2020 draft by calling it "dangerous" and said that it's long term consequences will be harmful.
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Rahul Gandhi while addressing All India Congress Committee in Jaipur, called for an end to red tape and outdated laws that slow job creation.
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Rahul Gandhi is of the view that RSS and crony capitalists are colluding to control India.
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Rahul Gandhi has been specifically harsh on Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani and said that Modi Government has been very favourable towards Adani.
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Rahul Gandhi sees the rise of Adani as a direct consequence of crony capitalism.
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Rahul Gandhi said that he is not anti-business and supports fairness.
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Rahul Gandhi has called it a "tragedy" and a "disaster" that has negatively impacted the Indian economy and the lives of ordinary citizens.
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Rahul Gandhi has accused the government of carrying out the policy without adequate planning and causing immense hardship to the poor and vulnerable sections of society.
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Rahul Gandhi has argued that the policy was implemented without proper consultation with experts or the opposition parties.
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Rahul Gandhi further asserted that, demonetization caused significant disruption to farmers, and rendered millions jobless in small and medium-sized businesses, and workers in the informal sector.