‘No longer an MP’: Rahul Gandhi waits in queue for two hrs at US airport for immigration clearance
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in the US on Tuesday for a 10-day visit, stood in a queue for two hours at the San Francisco airport for immigration clearance. A Congress leader today said that Gandhi was besieged with selfie requests while he was standing in line.
“After a 16-hour flight, waited another 2 hours at San Francisco airport for immigration with Rahul Gandhi, who was besieged with selfie requests by other passengers in the queue,” said Congress’ Praveen Chakravarty. He also shared two pictures in which Gandhi was seen in the queue.
While Gandhi was waiting in the queue, several people who were travelling with him on the same flight clicked selfies with him. When people asked him why he was standing in the queue, Gandhi replied, “I am a common man. I like it. I am no longer an MP.” Gandhi, who was the Member of Parliament from Wayanad, was disqualified recently after his conviction in a defamation case.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday for a three-city US tour. He was received at the airport by Indian Overseas Congress chairperson Sam Pitroda and other members of the IOC (Indian Overseas Congress).
Rahul Gandhi received a new ordinary passport on Sunday. He had applied for an ordinary passport after surrendering the old diplomatic passport issued to him when he was an MP. Gandhi was disqualified as an MP in March following his conviction and two-year sentence by a Gujarat court in a defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark.
Meanwhile, the Congress leader today interacted with students at the prestigious Stanford University in California. He also spoke at the ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’ event organised by IOC USA in Santa Clara, California. During his address there, he targeted the central government and said the idea of India was under attack and was being challenged.
Gandhi also said the poor and people from minority communities feel helpless today in India. He said Indians did not believe in hating each other but a small group of people who controlled the system and the media were stoking the flames of hatred.
The former Congress chief is likely to address Indian Americans and interact with Wall Street executives and university students during his week-long tour of the USA. He is slated to conclude his trip with a public gathering in New York on June 4. The interaction would take place at the Javits Center in New York.
(With inputs from PTI)
