'Initially, I didn't think much of him. But when I walked alongside him, I realized he has what it takes.'
Abhijit J Masih reports from the Rahul Gandhi event in Virginia.
'Stand for Something' read a sign on the back of car parked at the Hilton Dulles in Virginia, the venue for the community event hosted by the Indian Overseas Congress, USA.
The car, sporting a Virginia license plate, belonged to an Indian expatriate, as indicated by a Namaste sticker in the corner of the windshield.
Although the event was scheduled to start at 6 pm Eastern Time, the Hilton's ballroom was packed to capacity half an hour early.
On stage, the backdrop screen looped videos from the Bharat Jodo Yatra, while the stage, framed by tricolor flags on either side, awaited its moment.
The room buzzed with anticipation, set to the rousing soundtrack of Chak De from the Shah Rukh Khan starrer, as large posters of Rahul Gandhi, the man of the hour, adorned the walls.
Among the attendees was a gentleman from Thiruvanathapuram, visiting his son in Virginia. A lifelong Congressman, he recounted how he had walked a few miles with Rahul Gandhi during the early days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala.
"Initially, I didn't think much of him and wasn't sure he could lead the Congress," he admitted.
"But when I met him and walked alongside him, I realized he has what it takes. I asked him, 'Are you sure you'll finish what you've started?' He wasn't boastful; he just said, 'Well, let's see. But I won't back out'." The Malayali gent, who planned to return to India in two months, seemed impressed by Gandhi's humility and resolve.
In addition to the numerous US chapters of the Indian Overseas Congress, many Indian Americans had traveled to the nation's capital for the event.
Among them was a father-daughter duo from Michigan. A Marathi Christian, the father had participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan, further adding to the event's strong connection to Gandhi's campaign.
At exactly 6:25 pm, Rahul Gandhi walked in, sparing the audience from enduring the long speeches of Indian Overseas Congress, USA office bearers.
Indian Overseas Congress USA President Mohinder Singh Gilzian welcomed him, along with Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the IOC, who accompanied Gandhi.
"I grew up in an India where there was no division," Pitroda said, reminiscing about a more unified past.
"For the longest time, I didn't even know I was the son of an OBC." At this, Gandhi playfully interrupted, asking, "Who reminded you?" Pitroda responded with a smile, "Actually, it was Rahul who mentioned it in one of his speeches. He said he hopes India realizes that the telecom revolution was started by a son of an OBC. That's the India I miss -- the essence of family and inclusiveness."
"Since Rahul became the Leader of the Opposition, the US government is taking him seriously," Mahesh Patel, vice president of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA's New Jersey Chapter, remarked.
Pitroda confirmed that Gandhi had met with Biden administration officials earlier in the afternoon before the event.
As Pitroda introduced Rahul Gandhi, the crowd erupted in excitement, with many rushing forward to click pictures, eager to capture a moment with the man of the moment.
Rahul Gandhi's speech struck a chord with many, not only for its bold content but also for the way it was delivered -- extempore, without notes or a teleprompter. He addressed key themes of diversity, unity, and democracy.
The Congress leader's remarks aimed to critique the Narendra D Modi government's ideological stance while affirming the values that he believes define India.
He started his address with a powerful statement about fear and how it dissipated after the 2024 election results.
"People tell me, 'Dar nikal gaya. Ek second mein sab gayab ho gaya'," he said, suggesting that the very essence of fear, which once loomed large, had vanished.
His subtle jab at Prime Minister Modi followed quickly; where he dismissed the imagery of Modi's much-touted "56-inch chest" and his supposed "direct connection with God." According to Rahul, "That's all gone."
During the event, Rahul's interaction with a Sikh gentleman in the audience was a touching moment.
He asked the man his name and mentioned that the fight is for him to have the right to wear his turban and kara freely in India.
Rahul underscored the importance of preserving individual rights and religious freedoms, especially in a country as pluralistic as India.
His words echoed his larger point: That the political struggle today is about protecting these fundamental freedoms.
"You have a three course meal here. India mein thali milti hai. Sab usme milta hai," Rahul remarked, likening the nation's diversity to a plate of food.
He suggested that India is a confluence of many elements -- languages, traditions, histories, music, and dance -- each integral to the nation's identity. In his view, India’s strength lies in this multiplicity.
Rahul Gandhi's speech seemed to be a call to reassert India's foundational principles, offering a vision that contrasts sharply with the current narrative of nationalism.
"India is a union of states. Just like the US. It means a union of languages, traditions, histories, music, and dance," he said, reiterating that diversity is the soul of the nation.
The Gujrati gentleman from New Jersey reiterated Rahul's point with a reference to the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC)\, an organization that reflects India's diversity abroad.
"In IOC, we have Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai," he said. "It's about secularism, about socialism and about freedom of speech and expression."
During a brief pause in the event, a man dressed in a sherwani shouted, "Bahut khamoshi hai. Rahul Bhai Zindabad!" The man, Syed Mukarram, had traveled from Chicago to attend the event. "Rahul Gandhi is working for humanity," Mukarram said.
"He helps people from all communities, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background. His goal is to spread love and remove hatred from people's hearts."
A Gujarati, a Maharashtrian, a Punjabi, a Malayali, and a Muslim, each from different corners of the US, departed the event with a shared belief -- Rahul Gandhi is undeniably standing for something meaningful: Love, unity, and democracy.
Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
