Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 19: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has shared a deeply personal reflection on what motivates his political journey, saying it’s not the pursuit of power but a generational commitment to truth—anchored by his great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru.
In a podcast-style conversation with party colleague Sandeep Dikshit, the Leader of the Opposition opened up about how the legacy of freedom fighters and thinkers like Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose continues to shape his worldview.
“In this conversation, I speak about what drives me — the pursuit of truth,” Gandhi said. “That need to seek, to question, to stay rooted in curiosity — it runs in my blood. Nehru wasn’t just a politician. He was a thinker, a seeker. He walked into danger with a smile and came out stronger.”
He emphasized that his family’s values were passed down through generations—not as political strategy, but as a way of life built on courage and curiosity.
“My grandmother called him ‘Papa’. She told me stories of how he almost fell into a glacier, of his love for nature, and of how animals and exercise were inseparable parts of their lives. Even today, my mother watches birds in the garden. I practice judo. These daily rituals reflect how we stay connected to the world around us,” Gandhi shared.
He said it was not ideology but bravery that stood at the core of India’s freedom movement—and what defines leadership even today.
“Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Patel, and Bose didn’t teach politics. They taught fearlessness,” he said. “To take on an empire with nothing but the truth — that’s not ideology. That’s courage.”
He described truth as the single most powerful force in a non-violent struggle, adding that no matter what was thrown at them, India’s greatest leaders never wavered.
“Whether I’m talking to Bill Gates or Chetram Mochi, I approach them with the same curiosity,” Gandhi said. “Leadership is not control. It’s compassion. In today’s India, where truth is inconvenient, I’ve made my choice. I’ll stand for it — whatever the cost.”