‘Divided Diaspora Upsets PM Modi’: What Did Rahul Gandhi Gain From His US Visit?

The Quint spoke to political analysts who examined the meagre turnout to Rahul Gandhi's visit and its outcomes.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrapped up his six-day tour of the United States this week, and despite no longer holding a parliamentary position, his visit drew interest from the Indian community in the US and his critics back home in India. 

(Photo: Made using Midjourney, directed by Pranay Dutta Roy/The Quint)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrapped up his six-day tour of the United States this week, and despite no longer holding a parliamentary position, his visit drew interest from the Indian community in the US and his critics back home in India.  

Speaking to The Quint, senior journalist and political analyst Arati Jerath said that the Congress’ outreach in the US was an attempt to counter the growing wave of support for PM Modi, who has continued to cultivate a strong relationship with the Indian diaspora across the world.  

While Gandhi's visit may not have garnered the same level of enthusiasm as Prime Minister Modi's events, the response to his tour highlights a growing divide within the Indian community.

The Quint spoke to political analysts and experts who provided key insights into the tangible outcomes of Rahul Gandhi’s visit, the meagre show of support compared to PM Modi and the real motivation behind such a trip. 

The Motivation: Why Woo the Indian Diaspora? 

Previously, the chairman of the Congress’ data analytics department Praveen Chakravarty told The Quint about the origins of the Congress’ diaspora push and attributed the visit to a growing curiosity around the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress’ victory in Karnataka and to hear the Congress leader opine on agendas like the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and India’s role in the world.

Arati Jerath, during a phone call with The Quint said that following the success and the manner in which PM Modi has appeared to woo the Indian diaspora, Gandhi’s visit is a step in the same direction, with hopes of building a large international profile for the Congress leader.

“The diaspora is an important element of a national political party’s ambitions. Of course, you have to win an election back home, but after that, you also have to engage with the outside world."

Arati Jerath

Rahul Gandhi’s visit has also gained significant traction given the Indian diaspora’s growing importance in global affairs and PM Modi’s popularity. Distinguished Fellow of the Observer Research Foundation Manoj Joshi told The Quint that not only does the Indian diaspora contribute financially to some extent, but they have also occupied some of the top spots in important branches of foreign institutions.

Political analyst and author Rasheed Kidwai concurred and told The Quint that PM Modi’s foreign visits hold a “special place” for him and observed that the Congress is attempting to “touch all those spots where PM Modi appears to be a bit vulnerable and try to upset him and the BJP.”

“When Rahul goes abroad, his comments are blown out of proportion to show him as somebody who is damaging India's image and credibility. But at the same time, the Congress have figured out that international coverage of their criticism and the division among the Indian diaspora bothers the PM.”

Rasheed Kidwai

“With the help of the diaspora, PM Modi has managed to overcome a lot of the negative image that he had post-2002,” Arati Jareth told The Quint.

The Benefit: What Did Rahul Gandhi's US Visit Achieve? 

Even though the Indian diaspora in the US does not participate in electoral processes in India, they have not only achieved economic success by being in the highest median income among all immigrant groups but also made substantial contributions to the Indian economy.  

However, experts told The Quint that a financial appeal was unlikely to be at the forefront of Rahul Gandhi's visit, rather attributing the trip to a different agenda.  

“Financing is very restricted and exaggerated because of legal hurdles. Rahul’s visit is more ideological and a matter of optics,” Rasheed Kidwai said .  

Manoj Joshi pegged the former Wayanad MP’s visit to an attempt at tapping into the diaspora’s influence and said, “Back home, the diaspora has a lot of influence, even though it is not directly political."

“I don't think any financial output is present, but good press would be a motivation. Who doesn't like to be on the pages of the Washington Post or The New York Times or anything?” author Yashwant Deshmukh said. 

During Gandhi’s trip to the United Kingdom, his remarks on the ‘state of Indian democracy’ sparked controversy back home. He was met with similar reception during his multiple speaking engagements in the US

Praveen Chakravarty had spoken to The Quint before Rahul Gandhi’s visit and had asked:  

“Does the very successful Indian diaspora in America accept how the country is being governed and divided? Do they accept what is going on socially?” 

He subsequently answered and said, “My view is that they don’t. They completely detest the path that the country has taken over the last few years in terms of what it stands for.” 

The Congress leader’s visit to the US witnessed Gandhi make strong comments and step up his criticism of the ruling BJP government and PM Modi. 

However, Arati Jerath pointed out an inherent flaw in the outreach and the audience it appealed to.  

“The problem is that the people who attended the meetings were largely Rahul Gandhi’s supporters. There is little point in reaching out and preaching to the converted,” she said. 

The Comparison: A Battle of Optics With PM Modi?

The timing of Rahul Gandhi’s visit, deliberate or not, came just a week after PM Modi’s visit to Australia, which saw him address a massive gathering, and moreover just a few weeks before the PM’s US visit, which is expected to see exceedingly large support.

“There are bound to be comparisons, and Modi’s shows are always larger than life. The BJP and the overseas friends of the BJP have many more resources at their command – largely led by the Gujarati community, who are very prosperous in the United States,” Arati Jerath told The Quint.

She added:

“I think that the Congress made an attempt to make it more low-key rather than to match Modi in size and numbers.”

Previously, Praveen Chakravarty had told The Quint that the Congress did not go out and “ask people to assemble in a stadium” and added that the “Bharat Jodo Yatra triggered a huge interest among the Indian diaspora.”

Chakravarty also mentioned PM Modi’s ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Texas, alongside former US President Donald Trump, which saw close to 50,000 attendees show their support for the PM just a few months after the BJP’s landslide victory in 2019.

During a phone call, Yashwant Deshmukh elaborated on the audience that attended such massive diaspora events and told The Quint that both Modi and Rahul Gandhi made their appeals within their own comfort zones.

“Modi showed us in Australia was his comfort zone. He did not bring up Karnataka, but he went out and made people feels like he's doing something good for India.”

Yashwant Deshmukh

However, Speaking to The Quint, Rasheed Kidwai also went through the possible outcome of Rahul Gandhi’s visit and said, “I don't think anything substantial will come from the trip, but these are all for optics.”