Rahul Gandhi accuses RSS of rejecting equality, says idea of equal India ‘disturbs’ them

Rahul Gandhi

During the Lok Sabha debate on electoral reforms on Tuesday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticised the RSS, stating that they do not believe in equality; rather, they uphold a hierarchy in which they believe they should be at the top.

"The idea that every person in India is equal disturbs my friends in RSS," Gandhi said in the House as he criticised the government’s stance on proposed changes.

He pointed out that while some people appreciate the diversity of India's fabric, they cannot accept the notion that every individual, regardless of their religion, community, or language, should be treated as equal. This is because they fundamentally do not believe in equality.

He also invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s use of khadi to underline the importance of unity and equality, describing India as a shared fabric in which every citizen is an equal thread.

Rahul Gandhi said, "Have you ever wondered why Mahatma Gandhi laid such emphasis on Khadi? Why was it that he framed the entire Indian freedom struggle around the concept of khadi, and why is it that he only wore Khadi? Because Khadi is not just a cloth. Khadi is the expression of the people of India; it is the imagination, it is the sentiment, it is the productive force of the people of India... Whichever state you go to, you will find different fabrics. Himachali cap, Assamese Gomcha, Banarsi Saree, Kanchipuram Saree, Naga jacket. And you will find that all these fabrics represent the people... These fabrics are beautiful. But if you look slightly deeper, you will find that each one of them has thousands of little threads embracing each other... No one thread is superior to another thread. The threads cannot protect you. The threads cannot keep you warm. But when they come together as a fabric, they can keep you warm, protect you, and express what you have in your heart. In the same way, our nation is also a fabric made up of 1.4 billion people, and the fabric is woven together by the vote. This House where I am standing today, the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha across the country, Panchayats across the country, none of them would exist if the vote did not exist..."