Kollam (Kerala): Addressing a public gathering in Kollam, Kerala, to commemorate 100 years of the historic meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi on March 6, 2026, said that the two leaders would have discussed only truth and non-violence when they met a century ago. He said that violence and hatred may possess force, but real power lies in truth and non-violence, invoking the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru.

He said that the political struggle in India represents two contrasting visions - one based on truth, non-violence and humility, and the other on anger, hatred and arrogance - asserting that the spirit of India ultimately rests on truth and non-violence.

Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi said that when great individuals meet, they remain humble, whereas meetings of small-minded people are often marked by arrogance and ego.

Swami Ji gave me a book, the biography of Narayana Guru Ji and before that Venugopal Ji translated the prayer that Narayana Guru Ji made. So, I was thinking how strange that the values, the ideas of Narayana Guru are in the Constitution of India. The Constitution says- love and respect the weak, Narayana Guru Ji said- love and respect the weak. The Constitution says- do not crush those who are weaker than you, give space to every single being, Narayana Guru Ji said. Referring to the Constitution, he said that many people see it only as a document adopted after Independence, but it actually carries India’s ancient knowledge, traditions and the teachings of saints and reformers like Narayana Guru. He said that the Constitution emphasises love and respect for the weak and asks people not to oppress those who are weaker, values that were also central to Narayana Guru’s teachings.

Recalling an anecdote from Narayana Guru’s life, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the saint opposed violence even against a thief who had stolen mangoes from his ashram, insisting that wrongdoing should be corrected through understanding rather than brutality.

Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi noted that Narayana Guru’s prayer called for moving away from darkness towards knowledge, but in contemporary politics and international relations, people often move in the opposite direction by resorting to violence and conflict.

He said that disagreement in politics increasingly leads to attacks and hostility, whereas both Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi advocated dialogue, compassion and forgiveness.

The Leader of Opposition said that Mahatma Gandhi fought the powerful British Empire, which had force but lacked moral power, while he possessed the power of truth that ultimately prevailed.

He said that Narayana Guru had neither wealth nor political authority, yet he remained one of the most influential figures in Kerala, adding that his ideas continue to inspire society even a century later.

The political fight in India is also very similar. On one side, there is truth, non- violence, humility and on the other side there is anger, violence, hatred and arrogance. Those with violence and anger may have force, but they have no power because the spirit of people like Narayana Guruji and Mahatma Gandhiji and in fact, the spirit of India is fundamentally based on the idea of truth and non- violence, he said.

The Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi said that it was a great honour for him to come here and he bowed his head to both Narayana Guruji and Mahatama Gandhiji for showing India and her people the correct direction to move towards. Leaders from various political and social organisations attended the function, marking the historic meeting that symbolised the convergence of India’s freedom movement with Kerala’s powerful social reform tradition.

On Day 2

Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi Raps Kerala govt; says CPM, BJP are working together to defeat United Democratic Front

Announces welfare guarantees for Kerala: Free bus travel for women, ₹3,000 pension, ₹25 lakh health cover, aid for students

Thiruvananthapuram: Addressing a public rally marking the culmination of UDF ‘Puthuyuga Yatra’ in Kerala, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi on March 7, 2026, lashed out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for selling out and betraying the country by signing the Indo-US trade deal under pressure, and compromising India’s agricultural, energy and data interests through the agreement.

He also accused the Kerala’s CPM government of being in collusion with the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that they were working together to defeat the United Democratic Front.

He noted that the deal would open Indian agriculture to American products, putting small, labour-intensive farms in competition with large mechanised farms in the US and potentially causing “devastation” in sectors such as cotton, fruits, pulses, corn and soybean. He further said that India’s energy security had been affected, pointing out that the Prime Minister had committed to purchasing oil only from countries approved by the US.

Shri Rahul Gandhi also said that India’s data — which he described as the country’s most valuable asset — had been “signed away”, adding that artificial intelligence development depends heavily on such data.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that the Prime Minister had also promised to purchase goods worth ₹9 lakh crore annually from the US and revealed that the decision was taken because Modi was “compromised”.

He said that Modi was under constant pressure as over 35 lakh Epstein files were yet to be released. He pointed out, names of Anil Ambani and Hardeep Puri, two close confidants of Modi had been mentioned in the files. He said that the other reason for Modi to sign the deal was the case against Adani in the US. He said that Modi was terrified that it could lead to exposing the BJP’s and Modi’s financial dealings. He pointed out how Trump was openly threatening Modi, saying he could destroy his political career.

Turning to state politics, he said that the BJP and the ruling Left government in Kerala were working together to weaken the UDF. He remarked that PM controls the state Chief Minister in the same way that Trump controls Modi. He questionedwhy investigating agencies such as CBI and ED had pursued opposition leaders across the country but not Kerala Chief Minister or his family.

Referring to the understanding between the BJP and the CPM, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that these are not two different parties in Kerala; but the CJP, adding that everyone knows they are partners. He also said that there was nothing “communist” about the CPM government as it had turned to be the “corporatist” party. He added that the ruling party is working against the interests of the workers, small businesses & farmers, and in favour of the interests of the big businessmen, so it must change its name from the “Communist Party of India” to the “Corporatist Party of India”. Raising the issue of the theft of gold from the sacred Sabarimala Temple, he said that multiple leaders of the CPM were jailed, but the investigation was stopped from reaching the top. He assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible for dishonouring the temple when UDF forms govt in the state.

The Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi also announced a set of guarantees for Kerala on behalf of UDF, including free bus travel for women in KSRTC buses, ₹1,000 monthly assistance for college girls, an increase in welfare pensions to ₹3,000 per month, a new ₹25 lakh health insurance scheme named after Oommen Chandy, interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh for young entrepreneurs, and the creation of a dedicated ministry for senior citizens. He said that all these welfare schemes would be implemented as soon as UDF comes to power in Kerala. He added that employment would be revived in the state, and small and medium businesses would be supported.

Earlier in his speech, Shri Gandhi congratulated cricketer Sanju Samson for his performances in knockout and semi-final matches, saying people of Kerala were proud of the player from Thiruvananthapuram.

He also highlighted the contribution of Keralites working abroad, particularly in the Middle East, noting that their remittances support the Indian economy. Shri Gandhi said that in view of the war between the United States and Iran, we have to be careful and protect our strength and our people.

Describing Kerala as more than a state, Shri Gandhi said that it represented a “global idea” due to its diaspora and international engagement.

Among those present were Congress General Secretary-organisation Shri KC Venugopal, Smt. Deep Das Munshi, Shri Sunny Joseph, Shri Shashi Tharoor, Shri Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.