Video summary
Rahul Gandhi argues that every living being is a unique entity with their own distinct path toward the truth, criticizing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for claiming to know the truth of India's 1.5 billion people. He asserts that no individual can truly understand another person's reality because everyone has different life experiences, families, and struggles; therefore, assuming one knows what is true for someone else is arrogant and incorrect. This central theme highlights a political conflict where those in power believe they possess the ultimate truth and feel entitled to dictate it to others, often dismissing dissenting voices as ignorant or foolish while ignoring the validity of their own perspectives.
The speaker illustrates this lack of freedom with examples of young people being pressured into specific careers like engineering despite having other aspirations, noting that the government's role should be to open doors for imagination rather than restricting choices based on societal expectations. He emphasizes that a person's expression of their truth is valuable even if it differs from others', using the example of Dalits who suffer from caste-based oppression; while someone without that experience may not fully understand the pain, they must listen and strive to comprehend it rather than dismissing it as invalid. This approach fosters an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgment or suppression, which is essential for a healthy democracy.
Gandhi further critiques the actions of the BJP and RSS by describing how they have systematically marginalized various communities, telling Muslims and Christians they do not exist, threatening Adivasis with land dispossession, and invalidating Dalit grievances regarding caste oppression. He portrays these actions as an attack on the nation itself, referring to India as "Mother" and stating that such exclusionary policies must be reversed so that every citizen feels a sense of belonging regardless of their religion, community, age, or gender. The ultimate goal is for every individual to feel loved, appreciated, and confident that their search for truth matters to the rest of the country.
In conclusion, Rahul Gandhi calls for a fundamental transformation in the education system and the nation's structure to empower young people to express themselves freely and use that energy to drive positive change. He envisions an India where every individual feels special and supported, even when facing problems like oppression or poverty, with the nation stepping in to help rather than silencing them. This vision represents a shift from a system of control and imposed truth to one of inclusivity and mutual respect, ensuring that the diverse voices of all citizens are heard and valued as they contribute to the collective journey toward truth.
Read the full video transcript
Please understandable. [applause]
So what Gandhi G was saying was that
every living being is a unique entity
with his own path towards the truth. I
cannot tell you what is your truth. That
is my problem with RSS that RSS has
decided that they know the truth of 1.5
billion people. And I say no only 1.5
billion people can know their truth.
Even I cannot do if I start to believe
that I know your truth. I'm a madman
because I'm not you. I have not faced
what you have faced. I have not seen
what you have seen. I have not dealt
with what you've dealt with. I don't
have the same father, the same mother,
the same friends, the same brother,
nothing. So, how can I say that I know
your truth? The real fight is what the
real fight is that a group of people
have suddenly decided because they have
control of the system that they know the
truth of everybody in this country. When
Mr. Narendra Modi says I forgive the
students.
Yeah, please. I forgive you. Meaning
what? You are a bunch of jokers. I am
very smart. I know everything. You don't
understand everything and I forgive you.
[applause]
Then suddenly they got scared and moan
Bhagwaji says no no no no no no. We
should not attack the students. You are
attacking the students every day because
you believe you know the truth. If a
student comes to me in my mind,
[clears throat]
he knows or she knows her truth better
than I will ever know their truth. My
job is to listen to it. My job is to
appreciate it. My job is to try and
understand it. But I don't know it. I
will never know it. That is really the
political fight that is taking place.
Your parents sometimes tell you you have
to be an engineer. I know so many young
ladies who want to be engineers. And
then I ask them, do you really want to
be engineers? See, she's nodding her
head. No, I don't want to be an
engineer. Right? So, what is the problem
today? The problem is that we are not
giving you the freedom to choose what
you want. You want to be an engineer,
good for you. Be an engineer. You want
to be a cook, good for you. Be a cook.
You want to be a shoemaker, good for
you. Be a shoemaker. You want to be an
astronaut, good for you. Be an
astronaut. The job of the government,
the job of the country is to open the
doors for your imagination. to open the
door doors to make you feel and make you
believe [applause]
to make you feel and make you believe
and have the confidence that what I feel
is true for me. It might not be true for
him or her but it's true for me and that
is what is valuable because that is your
expression right? Dalith person says I
am hurt at the way I am treated. It's
his truth. How can I understand it? Have
I ever been called untouchable? Have I
ever not been touched because of my
cast? Never. So I cannot understand it.
But I can certainly listen and try and
get closer to understanding. [applause]
Right?
And I'm very proud now that millions of
young students have understood this that
the pain that they were feeling was
being caused because they were being
trapped because they were not being
allowed to express themselves. And so
now that expression has suddenly come
out and it cannot be stopped. But just
having that expression means nothing.
How will that expression transform the
education system of our country? How
will that education system transform the
fact that you can do whatever you want?
That's really the question. How can we
use this awakening this energy now to
make fundamental changes in the country
for young people
going forward that this is this is the
fight and that is the type of India we
want where every individual feels I'm
special. Sure, I have problems. Maybe
I'm oppressed. Maybe I'm not wealthy.
Maybe I've got these problems. The
nation should help with those problems.
But most important is the nation must
feel must make people feel that they
belong. [applause]
You imagine you imagine what the BJP has
done, the RSS has done. Imagine this.
Imagine if I came to this room and there
are let's say for the sake of
hypothesis, let us say there are a
thousand people sitting in this room.
Okay? What the BJP has done is it has
told 15 17% of this room Muslims,
Christians, Sikhs that you do not exist
and if you open your mouth you see what
we do to you. Okay. So that's 15%. 16%.
Next they have said to Adiasis another
10% that we will take your land whenever
we want and if you dare fight for your
land we will shoot you. They have told
15% of this country Dalits who are
convinced that they have dealt with the
worst possible social oppression that
you're complaining for nothing. India
has a great culture. What are you
complaining about? There's nothing wrong
with the cast system. It's all fine. So
that is what they've done to this
country. That's what has been done to
our mother. Our mother meaning Bat Mata.
That is what is being done. So that is
what has to be reversed. Every single
person in this country regardless of
religion, regardless of community,
regardless of age, regardless of um sex,
male, female, should feel that I belong
here, that I can walk in this country,
I'm loved in this country, I'm
appreciated in this country, and my
search for truth is important for the
rest of this country.