As Rahul Gandhi completed 100 days as Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha, the Congress on Friday lauded his contribution, saying he has been the “voice of the voiceless”. Gandhi ensured that the issues of different classes of people like farmers and laborers came to the forefront in Parliament. Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that in his first 100 days as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi continuously stood for the deprived and the exploited.
Kheda said in a post on , He has consistently stood up for the marginalized and the oppressed.”
He said Gandhi stood up against violence in Manipur, visited the state, spoke to representatives and raised the issue in Parliament. Kheda said Gandhi opposed the lateral entry of government employees, forcing the move to be withdrawn. He defended fair recruitment processes, Kheda said. “Rahul Gandhi challenged malpractices in government exams by protesting against the NEET paper leak and demanding accountability in entrance exams,” he said. Kheda said Gandhi raised the issue of working conditions of loco pilots, highlighting its impact on train safety.
“The media attention it received ensured that the issue could not be ignored,” the Congress spokesperson said. Kheda said, “Rahul Gandhi opposed the clause in the budget affecting indexation benefits and capital gains tax, successfully forcing the government to back down. Rahul Gandhi took a bold step against the Agniveer scheme, in the Army Advocated for a fair recruitment process.”
He also pointed out that Gandhi raised his voice for the “much needed” caste census, which led many parties in the ruling coalition to join him. Kheda said, “They stood firmly against the Broadcasting Bill aimed at suppressing the voice of independent media. Thanks to Rahul’s leadership, the Bill was repealed!” He said Gandhi defended India’s secular values, successfully taking the Waqf Bill to a parliamentary committee for review.
“Rahul Gandhi chose to stand with the victims of tragic incidents instead of attending high-profile events, showing his commitment to the common people more than to politics,” the Congress leader said. Kheda said, “In the last 100 days, Rahul Gandhi has traveled across the country, listened to the grievances of farmers, labourers, loco pilots and manual scavengers, ensured that their voices were heard and brought their issues to the forefront in Parliament Due to which he has become the true voice of the people.”
In a post on Facebook on Thursday, Gandhi said his mission as leader of the opposition is clear, which is to restore the values of love, respect and humility at the heart of Indian politics. “These principles guide me as we work together to build a more just, compassionate and economically prosperous India,” he said. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognized Gandhi as the leader of the opposition on June 26, a day before the Congress announced his name for the post to the Lok Sabha secretariat. The Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a notification that Gandhi has been officially recognized as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha with effect from June 9. This is the first time after a gap of 10 years that there is a leader of opposition in the lower house, as neither the Congress nor other opposition parties had the required 10 per cent members in the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha to claim the post.
