Rahul Gandhi Meets Family of Lynching Victim in Fatehpur, Faces Flak for Ignoring Larger National Issues
By Tajdar H. Zaidi
Fatehpur: Amid tight security and political theatrics, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday visited the family of Hariom Valmiki, a Dalit man lynched in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli district over allegations of theft. Gandhi assured the grieving family of full support and vowed to “fight for justice.”
After spending about half an hour with them, Gandhi told mediapersons, “A few days ago, a Dalit officer took his own life; I met his family. Today I’m here because another Dalit has been wronged.
The crime was not by this family — it was committed against them. Yet they are being treated as criminals, locked inside their home, and threatened for demanding justice.”
The Congress leader alleged that the family was living in fear and under pressure. “Their son has been murdered, their young daughter needs surgery, yet she cannot undergo treatment because the administration has confined them.
This is inhuman,” he said, calling on the Uttar Pradesh government to “act swiftly, deliver justice, and stop protecting the culprits.”
However, Gandhi’s visit, while drawing attention to the plight of the Dalit family, also sparked criticism for being yet another photo-op amid selective activism. Posters surfaced along his route reading “No politics, please — we’re satisfied with the government’s action.”
Congress workers tore down several of these posters, alleging coercion by local officials, even as Gandhi met the family under heavy police presence.
But beyond Fatehpur, many observers questioned Rahul Gandhi’s pattern of selective outrage.
One reader commented, “Not only in UP, but across the country, there have been so many murders — how many victim families has Rahul Gandhi actually visited? These leaders pick and choose cases to hog the limelight and gain sympathy. People have started understanding this political hypocrisy and melodrama.”
The reader further added, “Instead of trying to evoke sympathy, Rahul Gandhi should focus on the court cases pending against him. He needs to look inward before making grand gestures.”
Echoing similar criticism, trader activist Pramil Kesarwani said, “Rahul Gandhi appears only when it suits the optics. Since Operation Sindoor, Congress leaders seem restless and frustrated as BJP figures continue to command public attention through action and outreach.”
Social activist and lawyer Pradeep Srivastava was equally scathing: “We don’t see any Congress leader doing meaningful, sustained work. The party reacts to issues but fails to lead from the front. This is why people have stopped taking such visits seriously.”
While Rahul Gandhi pledged that the Congress would continue to stand by Dalit families facing injustice — declaring, “Wherever Dalits are oppressed, Congress will fight for them” — critics say the larger question remains whether such symbolic gestures can compensate for the party’s dwindling relevance and lack of consistent leadership on national issues.
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