Rahul Gandhi touches down in US: What’s on his two-day agenda?

NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, reached the United States on Saturday as part of a scheduled visit to Brown University in Rhode Island.
He was welcomed at Boston Logan International Airport by members of the Indian Overseas Congress, with Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda personally greeting him.
"LoP Shri @RahulGandhi received a warm welcome at Boston Logan International Airport, Boston, USA," the Congress posted on X.

Pitroda hailed Gandhi as “a voice for the youth, for democracy, and for a better future” in a post on X, writing, “Welcome to the USA, Rahul Gandhi! Let’s listen, learn, and build together”.

Gandhi will participate in interactions with students and faculty at Brown University on April 21 and 22. The Congress MP is also expected to engage with members of the NRI community, office bearers and functionaries of the Indian Overseas Congress during his visit.
Congress leader Pawan Khera had earlier announced the visit, stating that Gandhi would give a talk at the university and participate in interactive sessions on campus.
"Former Congress President Mr. Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Brown University, in Rhode Island, United States, on the 21st and 22nd of April. He will be giving a talk and interacting with faculty members and students. Prior to visiting Rhode Island, Mr. Gandhi will meet with members of the NRI community, as well as office bearers and members of the Indian Overseas Congress," Pawan Khera, the head of the grand old party's media and publicity department, wrote on X.

This is Rahul Gandhi’s second US visit in recent months. In September 2024, he embarked on a three-day tour that included engagements at the University of Texas in Dallas and Georgetown University in Washington, DC. That trip marked his first international visit after assuming the role of Leader of the opposition.
During the September visit, Gandhi stirred controversy with remarks on India’s reservation system. He had said that reservations could be reconsidered once India became a “fair place.”
He also pushed for a caste census, calling the lack of representation for OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis the “elephant in the room.”
“When we talk about the capture of institutions, businesses, and the media, the elephant in the room is that 90 per cent of India, OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis—aren’t even part of the game. That’s really the elephant in the room,” Gandhi had said.