RaGa FINDS RHYTHM
THE WEEK India|July 07, 2024
As leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi is savouring his biggest electoral success, and fashioning himself as the voice of the people. His growing stature, however, comes with its share of challenges
SONI MISHRA
RaGa FINDS RHYTHM

CONGRESS LEADER RAHUL GANDHI recently had an interaction with students protesting the malpractices in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to medical colleges. Rahul asked their opinion on what was wrong with the manner in which the exam was held. “Please tell me what we can do for you,” he told the students. “We will certainly raise the issue in Parliament.”

The demands of the students included scrapping the test and holding a retest, and overhauling the exam machinery. Here was the preeminent leader of the Congress, the principal opposition party, not imposing his own views on students but seeking to learn from them what he and his party could do for them.

The interaction gave a glimpse into the fashioning of Rahul as a leader who listens to people and empathises with them. And Rahul’s attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the NEET paper leak showed what his approach was going to be as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha. “The opposition has demolished the concept of Narendra Modi. This concept was based on thousands of crores worth of marketing and the fear of agencies,” Rahul said at a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. “Now, nobody is afraid of him. He is psychologically on the backfoot. He is not bothered about NEET or any other issue. His sole agenda is to save his government.”

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE WEEK INDIAView all
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
THE WEEK India

What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?

IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
THE WEEK India

Trump and the crisis of liberalism

Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Men eye the woman's purse
THE WEEK India

Men eye the woman's purse

A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
When trees hold hands
THE WEEK India

When trees hold hands

A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Ms Gee & Gen Z
THE WEEK India

Ms Gee & Gen Z

The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
THE WEEK India

Vikram Seth-a suitable man

Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Superman bites the dust
THE WEEK India

Superman bites the dust

When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
THE WEEK India

OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE WEEK India

Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets

THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
THE WEEK India

Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay

AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024