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Stage collapses at Congress torch rally in Chhattisgarh. Video
The 'Save Democracy Torch Rally' was taken out from Gandhi Chowk to Devkinandan Chowk where the stage was set up.
The stage set up for a gathering in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur to protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP collapsed on Friday evening. A video shared by news agency ANI shows the party's state president Mohan Markam and other leaders, who were on the stage, falling down as the stage crashed. There are no reports of any injuries in the incident.
The 'Save Democracy Torch Rally' was taken out from Gandhi Chowk to Devkinandan Chowk where the stage was set up. As the march reached its destination in the evening, a large number of party workers climbed on the dais along with senior leaders leading to its collapse.
Meanwhile, several top Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met and chalk out their strategy on Monday, ahead of Gandhi's appeal against his conviction and jail term by a Surat court for his 'Modi surname' defamation case. The former Wayanad MP will file an appeal in the Sessions court in Surat.
The defamation case was filed against Gandhi by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?"
Gandhi also faces another defamation case filed by former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi for his 2019 remarks. A Patna court has reportedly directed the Congress leader to appear before it on April 12 in connection with the case.
Catch all the live updates of Rahul Gandhi's case
After the disqualification of Rahul's membership from the Lok Sabha, the Congress has been vocal in protests all over the country. The grand old party has been making an effort to rally like-minded Opposition players around it in the wake of Rahul's loss of membership from the Lower House.
Rahul's disqualification is the latest in a series of flashpoints between the Congress and the ruling BJP, with a united Opposition calling it a ploy to divert public attention from the Adani issue.
