New Delhi, August 2026 : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called for building an India where every individual feels a sense of belonging, love and respect, irrespective of religion, caste, age or gender. Addressing the ‘Hara Bhara Swaraj’ gathering organised in the national capital to mark the 82nd birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he said the country must reverse what he described as a growing sense of exclusion among marginalised communities.
Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of targeting minorities, Dalits and tribal communities and alleged that these sections were being made to feel that they had no place in the country. “The BJP tells Muslims, Christians and Sikhs that they don't exist. BJP tells Adivasis that their land will be taken, and if they protest, they will be shot. BJP tells Dalits that their oppression doesn't matter,” he said.
The Congress leader asserted that such an approach needed to be reversed and emphasised that every citizen should feel equally valued and respected. He said the idea of ‘Swaraj’ was central to this vision and argued that the term was often incorrectly translated into English simply as “freedom”.
According to Rahul Gandhi, Swaraj means “ruling over oneself” and represents an individual's personal relationship with the world. While freedom can be granted to another person, he said, Swaraj cannot be bestowed by someone else. He recalled that Mahatma Gandhi wanted every individual in India to follow this path and discover their own relationship with truth.
Rahul Gandhi said Gandhi viewed every living being as a unique individual with a distinct journey towards truth. He argued that such a vision could not be realised unless fundamental changes were made in the country's education, examination, financial and political systems.
“Gandhiji's vision cannot exist with an education system that is as expensive as it is. It cannot exist with a testing system that is as unfair as it is. It cannot exist with a financial system that is monopolised by two or three people,” he said.
He also stressed the need for a political system that reaches people across the country and enables citizens to participate meaningfully in India's development.
Addressing students and young people, the Congress leader said their aspirations and individual choices must be respected. Whether a young person wanted to become an engineer, cook, shoemaker or astronaut, he said, the country should provide them with the opportunity and support to pursue their dreams.
“It is the job of the government and the country to open the doors to your imagination,” Rahul Gandhi said, adding that the nation should enable young people to believe in themselves and walk confidently towards their chosen goals.
He described the current ideological contest in India as a struggle between those who believe they alone possess the truth and those who respect individual experiences and perspectives. Alleging that students were being targeted because of their independent thinking, he said his approach was to listen to and respect their understanding of their own lives.
“If a student comes to me, I believe this: they know their truth better than I ever can. My job is to listen, to respect it, to understand it,” he said, describing this as the political battle facing the country.
