If Nehru were alive, Kanshi Ram would have been Congress CM: Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi

Lucknow: Addressing the Samvidhan Sammelan at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow on March 13, 2026, to mark the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram, Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi invoked the legacy of the Bahujan leader, saying that his struggle and vision reshaped Indian politics. Saying he was grateful to him, he emphasised that rights and representation can only be secured through sustained ideological struggle.

“Nobody gives merely by asking. Until we fight for ideas, nothing will come out of it,” Shri Rahul Gandhi said, asserting that people must resolve not to accept injustice, exclusion and status quo. He acknowledged that the Congress had “some shortcomings”, which created the political space for Kanshi Ram to emerge as a major leader representing Dalits and other marginalised groups. Shri Rahul Gandhi also recalled a remark he had made earlier that if Jawaharlal Nehru were alive, Kanshi Ram could have been a Congress’ Chief Minister.

Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi said that Indian politics today was divided between two ideological approaches - one that believes the country can progress only if the poorest of the poor benefit, irrespective of their background, and the other wants to exclude them.

He maintained that nearly 85 per cent of the population - comprising Dalits, backward classes, Adivasis, minorities and poor from the general castes - has little representation in key institutions, including the judiciary, bureaucracy, education system and corporate sector.

Taking corporate India as an example, he said that if one examines the top 500 companies and their CEOs or senior management, “You will hardly find any Dalit, Adivasi or minority.” Citing the constitutional principle of equality, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the spirit of the Constitution is “One person, One vote” and called for proportional representation in power structures, saying “jitni aabadi, utni bhagidari”.

“The situation is deteriorating and is going from bad to worse,” he said, adding that earlier the public sector, including government hospitals, colleges and universities, offered opportunities for representation, but those avenues were shrinking.

Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi also criticised the ideological approach of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, pointing out that its leadership structure lacks representation from Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis.

He described the current political struggle as a contest between “85 per cent and 15 per cent”, saying that marginalised communities are verbally told they belong to India but are denied access to resources and power.

Reiterating his charge against Prime Minister Modi that he was compromised, in his tribute Shri Rahul Gandhi said that Gandhiji, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkarji, and Kanshi Ramji never compromised and stood firm on their principles.

Shri Rahul Gandhi said that in politics, there are two types of people – one wants progress for all, while the other seeks only personal enrichment. Gandhiji (Mahatma) went to jail for 10-15 years, but he did not compromise. Babasaheb Ambedkar gave his life, but did not compromise. Did Kanshi Ram ji compromise? The question does not arise. He could not have done it, he said.

He mentioned Narayana Guru, Basavanna, Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Gautam Buddha to say their voices are enshrined in the Constitution. Nathuram Godse’s voice is not in this Constitution. No matter what he may claim, Narendra Modiji does not subscribe to the ideology of this Constitution, he said.

People say many things about Ambedkarji that he studied at Columbia, he fought for the Dalits, that he was an intellectual, that he championed the Dalit cause, and that he dedicated his entire life to society. But what is the essential point? The essential point is that he never compromised, Shri Rahul Gandhi added.

Reaffirming and reiterating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was compromised, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi said that Modi was no more the Prime Minister of India, as he was now working for the USA.

In the same context, he said that the Prime Minister had compromised India’s interests in areas such as energy security and trade. He said that Modi had compromised because of the Epstein files and a case against Gautam Adani. He said that the financial structure of the BJP was linked to the Adani group and added that the case was a message to Modi to fall in line lest his financial system will be exposed. “Narendra surrender ho gaya hai,” he remarked.

He said that India’s strategic and economic interests had been compromised in the trade deal with the United States, saying that India had made commitments on data access, trade purchases and other economic concessions but in turn got nothing from the US.

Shri Gandhi said that such decisions would adversely affect India’s small and medium enterprises as well as farmers, particularly if large-scale agricultural producers from abroad are allowed access to Indian markets.

Referring to the fuel crisis, he said that it was just a beginning and the situation was going to turn more serious. He also mentioned that when he raised questions on Hardeep Puri, Epstein files and George Soros while speaking on energy security in Parliament, he was prevented from speaking further.

Reacting to remarks by some speakers earlier that the Congress was a poor Party, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress remains an ideologically committed Party and does not aspire to become a “Rich Party”. He noted that the Party’s bank accounts had been frozen during elections but it did not deter the organisation.

“If Congress remains on the ideological path of Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Phule, nobody can defeat it,” he said.

Shri Rahul Gandhi reiterated the Party’s commitment to conducting a caste census and ensuring representation of Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and minorities in India’s power structure. He said that the Prime Minister was politically weakened and asserted that the Opposition had an opportunity to pursue politics of change rather than merely electoral victories. He said that Modi is psychologically defeated and he has already lost the battle in his mind, which is the beginning.

The Sammelan passed a unanimous resolution seeking Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram.

Among those present were Shri Rajendra Pal Gautam, Shri Anil JaiHind, Shri Ajay Rai, Smt. Anuradha Mishra and others. Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi was received at the Lucknow airport by state Congress leaders and Party workers before proceeding to the event.