‘Not a Pappu, but Rahul Gandhi is a strategist with deep thinking on any subject,’ says Sam Pitroda as LoP visits US

Congress leader Sam Pitroda has said his party leader Rahul Gandhi has a vision contrary to what Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promotes and that he is not a ‘Pappu,’ as he was often mocked. Pitroda addressed the Indian diaspora in Texas where Rahul Gandhi is visiting.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) has a vision contrary to what BJP promotes by spending crores of rupees. I must tell you, he is no Pappu. He is highly educated, well-read, a strategist with deep thinking on any subject and sometimes it is not very easy to understand him," said Pitroda who is the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in the United States for a three-day visit, where he was warmly received in Texas on Sunday. The Lok Sabha Opposition Leader expressed his eagerness for discussions to strengthen India-US ties.

"Going to school in early fifties, Gandhian thoughts were the core of our learning. Inclusion, diversity, these were not just the words this is what we lived by and when I begin to see changes in our society which attack the basic fabric I worry about it. So the idea... is to make sure that we respect our people irrespective of the race, religion, language, state. We create same opportunities for everybody we provide dignity to labour and these are the issues that Rahul Gandhi is championing and that makes me very happy," he said.

Pitroda explained that democracy is not that simple and cannot be taken for granted. “Democracy is not that simple... Democracy requires work from large number of people like us. We can't take it for granted because there are people who are focused on hijacking democracy. We have seen it in many countries,” said Pitroda.

Pitroda, who invited criticism from various quarters in recent months for his controversial remarks about people of different ethnicities in India, has been re-appointed as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress with immediate effect in June this year..

Last week, he claimed that Rahul Gandhi, had all the qualities of a future prime minister and he is more intellectual compared to former PM Rajiv Gandhi.

Pitroda, the Gandhi family confidant, made the remarks in an interview with PTI from Chicago, ahead of Rahul's visit to US later this month.

"At the time of independence, there was this fervor about independence movement and the leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose were very clear of the kind of nation they wanted to build. Everyone understood what freedom meant and the opportunities free India would create... I want you to join Indian Overseas Congress, improve quality of our activities, quantity of our members and bring in more diverse group of people," he said on Sunday.

(With ANI inputs)