Watch: Rahul Gandhi meets textile designers, shares story behind first Nehru jacket | India News

NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday shared a video of his meeting with workers from the fashion and textile sector. In a post X, he wrote about his interaction with Vicky, a young entrepreneur who has built his own textile business through talent and determination.
Gandhi described how Vicky’s factory workers “toil for 12 hours a day, weaving magic with needle and thread,” but added that the industry continues to undervalue such skill.
Sharing the video on X, Gandhi wrote, “Till date, I have never met anyone from the OBC community at the top of the textile design industry.”

“Just like in other industries, in the textile and fashion sector too, marginalised communities neither have representation, nor access to education in the field, nor a place in the existing networks,” he said.
Speaking about the story behind the Nehru jacket, Gandhi told the workers, “Do you know how the Nehru jacket was made? My great-grandfather’s tailor—he made something similar the tailor took the collar of a kurta and attached it to a coat.”
Gandhi compared the struggles of talented young Indians to Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata, caught in a maze of “neglect and injustice.” He stated, “My fight is to break this very labyrinth — so that every skilled individual can find a way into the system.”
The Congress MP from time-to-time shares videos showing his interaction with workers from different sectors. In March he met with a group of porters at the New Delhi railway station. In a Hindi post on X, he highlighted their financial hardships, quoting one porter: “Some days we don’t even have money for food.” Gandhi said their voices go unheard despite their heroism, pledging to present their demands—especially for Group D jobs—to the government. In a video, he is seen thanking the porters, who described the chaos and their role in rescuing people. Gandhi commended their selfless efforts, from pulling people to safety to transporting the injured. He promised to fight for their rights and ensure they receive the recognition and support they deserve.
Earlier, the Congress MP had shared his interaction with students from Nagaland, he had warned that India risks falling behind if it fails to adapt to emerging technologies. “The world is shifting to EVs, AI and batteries — while India clings to outdated policies favouring a handful of businesses,” he wrote.
He stressed the need to overhaul India’s education system to meet future challenges. “It’s imperative our education system adapts to the paradigm shift happening in the world and equips young Indians with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive and take our country forward,” he said in another post.