Inherited truth, courage from Nehru: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi(PTI): Jawaharlal Nehru's greatest legacy was giving Indians the courage to resist oppression and claim freedom, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday and added he inherited "truth and courage" from his great-grandfather -- the country's first prime minister.
In a free-wheeling conversation with party leader Sandeep Dikshit that was posted on the former Congress chief's X handle and YouTube channel, Gandhi talks about his pursuit of truth and his willingness to stand by it no matter what the cost.
"Nehru didn't teach us politics -- he taught us to confront fear and stand for the truth. He gave Indians the courage to resist oppression and ultimately claim freedom," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said in the post on X.
"His greatest legacy lies in his relentless pursuit of truth -- a principle that shaped everything he stood for," he added.
The video has been uploaded on Gandhi's YouTube channel with the caption "Truth and Courage - What I Inherited from Nehru".
"This one's personal. In this podcast-style conversation with Sandeep Dikshit, I speak about what drives me -- the pursuit of truth -- and how that pursuit is inspired by my great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru. He wasn't just a politician. He was a seeker, a thinker, someone who walked into danger with a smile and came out stronger," Gandhi wrote in the video description.
"His greatest legacy lies in his relentless pursuit of truth -- a principle that shaped everything he stood for. He didn’t teach us politics -- he taught us to confront fear and stand for the truth. That need to seek, to question, to stay rooted in curiosity -- it runs in my blood," the former Congress chief added.
Gandhi said his grandmother -- former prime minister Indira Gandhi -- told him stories of how Nehru nearly fell into a glacier in the mountains he loved, how animals were always part of the family, or how they never missed an hour of exercise.
"My mother still watches birds in the garden. I do judo. These aren't just hobbies -- they're windows into who we are. We observe. We stay connected to the world around us. And what we carry most deeply is the instinct to face challenges with quiet strength," he wrote.
"That's what Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Patel, and Bose were really teaching: how to befriend fear. Not socialism, not politics -- just courage. Gandhi stood up to an empire with nothing but truth. Nehru gave Indians the courage to resist oppression and ultimately claim freedom. Any great human endeavour -- science, art, resistance -- it all begins with confronting fear. And if you're committed to non-violence, then truth is your only weapon. No matter what was done to them, they didn't budge from it. That's what made them great leaders," he noted.
Whether he is speaking to Bill Gates or Chetram Mochi, he meets them with the same curiosity, Gandhi said.
"Because real leadership isn't about control. It's about compassion. And in today's India -- where truth is inconvenient -- I've made my choice. I'll stand for it. No matter the cost," he wrote.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
