Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said democratic politics have fundamentally changed across the globe and the rules that applied a decade ago no longer hold good.
Addressing a gathering at Bharat Summit 2025 in the presence of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the senior Congress leader said in today’s aggressive political atmosphere, the aim is to crush the Opposition and undermine the media.
Reflecting on his experiences during ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Rahul said he realised that politicians have failed to listen to people’s voices. “Politics, democratic politics have fundamentally changed across the globe. The rules that applied, I would say, a decade ago simply do not apply any more. Sometimes, when I speak to younger members of our party, what was effective 10 years ago, the tools that worked 10 years ago, simply do not work anymore.,” he said.
“So in a sense, the old politician is dead and a new kind of politician has to be constructed,” the AICC leader said. He also mentioned that he was originally scheduled to address the summit on Friday, but had to travel to Kashmir instead. The Congress MP thanked the delegates of Bharat Summit for their solidarity with India in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack.
The Bharat Summit, a two-day conclave focused on promoting meaningful dialogue on global justice, equity, and progressive cooperation, began on Friday.
Delivering the vote of thanks at the closing session of Bharat Summit 2025 Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that freedoms of thought, speech, arts, academia, assembly and protest were under relentless attack by extreme right-wing and authoritarian regimes globally.
Reddy said it was a matter of pride that the Bharat Summit was being hosted in Hyderabad, Telangana, under a Congress-led government that is firmly committed to upholding liberal, democratic values.