Rahul to visit Germany, UK next week

Amid hectic campaigning for the assembly elections, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will embark on a visit to Germany and Britain next week to interact with political and business leaders and speak at two public events.

During his four-day visit beginning August 22, Gandhi is also scheduled to interact with academicians, students, non-resident Indians and young global leaders, Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress announced here on Thursday.

Gandhi has often sought to draw parallels between the authoritarian leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pitroda too referred to it while seeking to present the Congress President’s foreign visit against the backdrop of the global currency crisis triggered by the falling Lira.

“This tour of Rahul Gandhi to Germany and UK comes at a time when events in Turkey and the free fall of the Lira are getting global attention on the type and style of leadership and its impact on social, political and economic fabric of the country,” Pitroda said.

He said people abroad were very interested in listening to Gandhi on economy, employment, demonetization, security, development and overall performance of the government and future obstacles, opportunities and challenges in India.

The visit comes after Gandhi’s landmark visit to the US last year that helped him recast his image both at home and abroad. “Listen to me, judge for yourself,” Gandhi had said famously at an interaction at the Berkeley University when asked about his being parodied on social media.

After his US visit, Gandhi had toured West Asia, Singapore and Malaysia for interaction with business and political leaders, and the huge Indian diaspora.

Gandhi will be in Germany on August 22 and 23. He is scheduled to address NRIs in Berlin on August 23 at an event organized by the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC).

The Congress President is scheduled to speak at the “mega conference” of the IOC in London on August 25.

Last week, Gandhi had visited Karnataka, Chhatisgarh and Telangana to kick-start the party’s campaign for the upcoming elections.