TNI Bureau, New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former MP of Wayanad, is set to embark on a 10-day visit to the United States starting on May 31. During his trip, Gandhi has planned a series of engagements, including a rally expected to draw around 5,000 NRIs at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Additionally, he will participate in a panel discussion in Washington and deliver a speech at Stanford University in California. Alongside these events, Gandhi will meet with politicians and entrepreneurs to discuss various matters of mutual interest.

In a separate development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled for an official state visit to the US on June 22. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host him at a state dinner held at the White House, symbolizing the strengthening ties between the two nations.

Gandhi recently garnered significant media attention as he returned from London, where he delivered speeches at Cambridge University. In his talks, he criticized the Indian government and shed light on the state of Indian democracy. Speaking at a convention organized by the Association of Journalists in London and during an in-conversation session at the Chatham House think tank, Gandhi highlighted the challenges faced by Indian democracy, expressing concerns about the curtailment of democratic institutions such as the Parliament, free press, and judiciary. He stated that the very foundations of Indian democracy were under attack.

These remarks drew sharp criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which demanded an apology from Gandhi. Some of his statements in the UK stirred controversy in India, leading to a more intense backlash from the BJP. Party chief JP Nadda went on to accuse Gandhi of being a “permanent part of the anti-India toolkit,” further escalating the political tensions surrounding Gandhi’s speeches.