National Politics

Rahul Gandhi’s “Lecture” At Jesus College, London Was A Paid Event Of Congress; Reports Confirm

March 2, 2024
The Commune

On 21 February 2024, Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader, declared a temporary suspension of Rahul Gandhi’s ambitious “Bharat Nyay Jodo Yatra” as he embarked on a visit to the United Kingdom. Ramesh clarified that the University of Cambridge had extended an invitation to Rahul Gandhi, who would be delivering two lectures at the prestigious academic institution.

Congress general secretary for communication Jairam Ramesh posted on his official X handle that, “February 26th to March 1st will be break days to enable Rahul Gandhi to fulfil his long-standing commitment to deliver two special lectures at his alma mater Cambridge University (UK) on February 27th and February 28th and also to enable him to attend other important meetings in New Delhi,” 

Later on subsequent days entrepreneur Venkata “Serish” Gandikota shared a photo capturing Rahul Gandhi strolling alongside Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, and journalist Shruti Kapila. In his post, Gandikota remarked on the unusual sight of Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda walking casually in Cambridge without the usual presence of security personnel.

Later with substantiated claims from state Congress units and ardent Congress supporters proudly promoted Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Cambridge University, likening it to the arrival of a new professor in the town.

 

However, in a statement exclusively given to OpIndia, Jesus College has officially stated that there was no official invitation extended to Rahul Gandhi by Cambridge University for any participatory event. This disclosure arises amid speculations about the nature of Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in the Cambridge University Lectures.

The spokesperson from Jesus College, University of Cambridge, has clarified that Rahul Gandhi’s participation was arranged externally through a commercial booking, and the College had no involvement in its planning or funding. This statement stands as concrete evidence refuting any assertions of an official invitation, providing clarity on the actual nature of the hosted event.

The same was also confirmed by another news outlet The Pamphlet and a social media handle The Hawk Eye.

The Mysterious UK Visit Busted

The enigma shrouding Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the UK is not unfamiliar, as he has a history of making cryptic journeys to foreign nations, often strategically timed with the Congress party’s needs. It’s unsurprising that he temporarily diverted from his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ to impart ‘special lectures’ at the University of Cambridge. However, the assertion of being ‘invited’ by the prestigious institution raises eyebrows. The University’s last tweet mentioning Rahul Gandhi dates back to May 2022, and the Judge School of Business posted about an event featuring him in February 2023.

 

Nevertheless, on this occasion, there were no recent mentions or updates about Rahul Gandhi on the University of Cambridge’s X  handle or its affiliated colleges. OpIndia managed to uncover discussions involving other guests but found no trace of the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi.

(Picture Credit: OpIndia)

OpIndia conducted a thorough analysis of images shared by Congress loyalists on social media, raising suspicions about Rahul Gandhi’s purported lecture at the University of Cambridge.

By close examination OpIndia identified the location as the Jesus College of the University of Cambridge, specifically in the Elena Hall (conference room) and verified through a 360-degree tour available on the college’s website.

Despite expectations of official posts on the X handle of Jesus College regarding Rahul Gandhi’s visit, the search with the keyword ‘Rahul Gandhi’ yielded ‘no results.’ Further investigation revealed that Jesus College administration permits commercial activities, including presentations, meetings, events, and group dining, in its conference halls and grounds. This suggests that booking various venues with en-suite accommodation at the Jesus College is open to anyone, implying the possibility of the event being a commercially arranged activity rather than an official invitation.

In the midst of the growing mystery surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s recent covert foreign visit, the Indian Overseas Congress took the lead in sharing outdated images, aiming to deceive the public by suggesting that the Congress MP received a lavish welcome at the University of Cambridge. The move was a subtle attempt to create the impression that Rahul Gandhi had recently been invited by the University.

To substantiate these questionable assertions, the X handle of the Indian Overseas Congress shared images from May 2022, featuring Rahul Gandhi, the Congress-friendly ‘journalist’ Shruti Kapila, and Sam Pitroda. Additionally, they attached an image with the caption ‘India at 75,’ clearly indicating that the photograph was taken in 2022.

Upon deeper investigation, OpIndia debunked this initiative, uncovering the complete recording of the event held at the Corpus Christi College of the University of Cambridge on 22nd May 2022. This recording was found on the official YouTube channel of the Indian National Congress. As netizens exposed the misleading nature of the Indian Overseas Congress’s claims, the tweet was promptly deleted, with no accompanying apology or clarification.

(Picture Credit: OpIndia)

OpIndia, after uncovering inconsistencies in Congress’s claims of Rahul Gandhi delivering ‘special lectures’ at the University of Cambridge, reached out to Jesus College for clarification. Questions about the booking details, event organizers, invitation, attendees, and expenses were posed. In response, Jesus College confirmed that the event at Elena Hall for Rahul Gandhi was a paid external booking, emphasizing that the college had no role in organizing or financing the event.

This revelation makes it evident that Rahul Gandhi was not invited by the University of Cambridge for a ‘special lecture,’ but instead participated in a paid event during a pause in his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.’

(With Inputs From OpIndia)

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