Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on US President Jobe Biden during an election campaign in Maharashtra didn’t go down well with a section of the medical practitioners who have demanded an apology from him.
Addressing a rally in Amravati on November 16, Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to be suffering "memory loss" like the former President of the US, apparently referring to Biden.
National Medicos Organisation Bharat (NMO-Bharat) president C.B. Tripathi has written a letter to Rahul’s mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying his comments perpetuate harmful stereotypes about ageing and cognitive health.
"Such statements on a public platform risk perpetuating misinformation, potentially shaping public perceptions in ways that could negatively impact the understanding and treatment of actual patients,” he said.
Tripathi further alleged that Rahul’s remarks appeared to disparage the cognitive abilities of the US president. "This is not just disrespectful to the individuals targeted but also to countless senior citizens in India who contribute meaningfully to society despite health challenges”.
Noting that Sonia Gandhi herself has been a victim of such health-related rumours, misinformation, and allegations, the letter said political dialogue should uplift and unite, not stigmatise or mock.
"On behalf of the medical community, we urge Mr Gandhi to reflect on his remarks, issue a public apology, and refrain from making such insensitive comments in the future,” it said.