Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit the US from November 16 to 19. He will address students at Columbia University on November 17 and the University of Chicago on November 18. This trip follows his recent travels, which often sparked political debates between the Congress and the BJP.
The Congress MP's proposed US visit is also significant given the controversies surrounding his previous engagements on American soil.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to embark on another foreign trip, with the US being his next destination, sources told India Today. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is expected to be in the US from November 16 to 19, with scheduled addresses at two prominent American universities likely to bring his political remarks and overseas engagements under renewed scrutiny.
According to sources, the Congress MP is likely to address students at Columbia University in New York on November 17, followed by an interaction at the University of Chicago on November 18. He is expected to return to India on November 19.
The proposed visit comes weeks after Gandhi's reported trip to Vietnam and Thailand, which triggered a fresh political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP over his overseas travel.
The Vietnam visit had come amid protests by the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The BJP accused Gandhi of abandoning the political agitation to travel abroad and questioned the timing of his visit.
The party also shared a video purportedly showing him travelling in business class, with a sarcastic post suggesting he had gone on a break after "spreading lies".
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey subsequently questioned Gandhi's frequent foreign visits and sought to know whom he met during these trips. He also raised questions over the Congress leader's meetings with US lawmakers Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna.
PREVIOUS US VISITS STIRRED ROW
Rahul Gandhi's proposed US visit is also significant given the controversies surrounding his previous engagements on American soil.
During his May 2023 visit, he criticised the BJP government over alleged misuse of investigative agencies and restrictions on institutional independence.
At the University of California, Berkeley, he also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which accused him of damaging India's image abroad.
During his September 2024 US visit, the five-time MP spoke about the political climate in India and the state of democratic institutions.
His remarks on whether Sikhs would be allowed to wear turbans and visit gurdwaras in India triggered another controversy, with the BJP accusing him of creating fear and misrepresenting the country's situation.
His April 2025 US visit also saw him criticise the Election Commission, calling it "compromised" while speaking at an event in Boston.
The BJP responded by accusing him of tarnishing India's democratic image on foreign soil.
Against this backdrop, Gandhi's upcoming engagements at Columbia and Chicago universities are likely to attract considerable political attention.
While his speeches and interactions are yet to take place, the BJP is expected to closely scrutinise his remarks, particularly if he raises questions about India's democratic institutions, governance or political climate.