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Cong to hold silent protest against Rahul’s disqualification
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Parliament on March 23 following his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his comment “all thieves have Modi surname” at an election rally in Kolar in 2019
The Congress party will observe a silent satyagraha in all states against the disqualification of former party president Rahul Gandhi from Parliament. All state committees will organize satyagraha near Gandhi statues in every state capital on Wednesday from 10 am to 5pm, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal announced on Sunday.
Gandhi was disqualified on March 23 following his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his comment “all thieves have Modi surname” at an election rally in Kolar in 2019. Gandhi’s lawyers failed to get a stay on his conviction in the trial court, the sessions court and the Gujarat high court.
Even as the party is preparing to appeal in the Supreme Court against his conviction, the organization is gearing up to hit the streets over the issue. “Rahul Gandhi has been the strongest and most vocal opponent of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. After a hugely successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, Shri Rahul Gandhi delivered a historic address to the Lok Sabha, unearthing the unholy relationship between PM Modi and the Adani Group. As a result, the BJP deployed its dirty tricks to disqualify him from Parliament,” Venugopal said.
Gandhi’s disqualification and a number of other issues had rocked the second half of the budget session. The Gujarat high court’s refusal to stay Gandhi’s conviction means he will not be able to attend the upcoming monsoon session as he continues to be disqualified.
“Undeterred, Shri Rahul Gandhi has remained steadfast in his resolve to take on the ruling regime, and listen to the problems that India’s poor, farmers, labourers, youth and marginalized are facing. Even outside Parliament, he remains the voice of the people, the leader who people can trust. As a result, not just the Congress, but the entire country is agitated at his wrongful and vindictive disqualification,” said Venugopal.
“We appeal to 140 crore Indians, regardless of affiliation, to stand with the forces of justice and liberty, to stand up against this muting of democracy,” the Congress general secretary said.
