Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi tried to corner the Central Government on many issues. He raised questions on the government’s policies on topics like Operation Sindoor, border dispute with China, US trade deal, global instability and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Rahul Gandhi started his speech in a light manner. He said that sometimes Rijiju ji asks him how he is so fit. On this, he gave the example of martial arts and said that the fight starts with grip and then reaches choke. He said that there is a ‘grip’ in politics and business too, but it is not visible. According to him, the one who gets a stronger hold first wins in the end.
The world is moving towards instability: Rahul Gandhi
Citing the economic survey, Rahul Gandhi said that the world is now moving from stability to instability. He said that the old American and dollar based unipolar system is now facing challenge. He said that China, Russia and other powers are challenging America’s dominance. Also, energy and finance are being used as weapons. Rahul Gandhi said that the Prime Minister and the NSA had earlier said that the era of war is over, but today war or its threat is visible in Ukraine, Gaza, Middle East and Iran. He also mentioned Operation Sindoor and said that India is also a part of an unstable global environment.
Caution on AI and data
Rahul Gandhi said that the world is entering the era of AI and it will have serious consequences. He claimed that India’s IT sector, which was built by the Congress and UPA governments, will face challenges from AI. He said that the most important thing for AI is ‘data’. Just as petrol is necessary for an engine, similarly data is necessary for AI. According to him, India’s 1.4 billion people generate huge data, which is the country’s biggest strength. He said that India and China have the two largest data pools in the world. If America wants to maintain its superpower status, then Indian data is important for it.
Question on deal with America
Rahul Gandhi said that if his party had talked to America, it would have made Indian data the main issue first. He said that India should negotiate on the basis of equality and protect its energy security and the interests of farmers. Referring to America’s relations with Pakistan, he said that India cannot be considered equal to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi said that there is mention of global instability and weaponization of energy finance in the budget, but there is no concrete strategy to deal with it.
BJP’s counterattack
Union Minister Kiran Rijiju gave a sharp reaction to Rahul Gandhi’s statement. He said that words like nonsense should not be used. Rijiju alleged that Congress has sold the country and the Prime Minister would not sell the country under normal circumstances. Referring to the Adani case, he said that the case going on in America is like targeting not just a businessman but the Prime Minister of India. There was a heated argument between the two parties on this issue in the Lok Sabha.
