India’s Congress launches protest over Rahul Gandhi’s parliament disqualification

Record ID: 1717300

  • Title: India’s Congress launches protest over Rahul Gandhi’s parliament disqualification
  • Date: 26th March 2023
  • Summary: PROTESTERS SHOWING POSTERS POSTER WITH CROSSED PHOTO OF INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI AND READING (English): "SAVE DEMOCRACY ODISHA PRADESH (STATE) CONGRESS COMMITTEE" PROTESTERS SITTING HOLDING POSTERS PROTESTERS SITTING/CONGRESS PARTY FLAG FLUTTERING IN AIR STATUE OF INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE HERO MAHATMA GANDHI
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2023 14:03
  • Keywords: BJP Congress protest India Narendra Modi NewDelhi Rahul Gandhi bail conviction court defamation disqualified protests
  • Location: THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA/MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA/ BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA/ CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • City: THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA/MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA/ BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA/ CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA003I3S5U8F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING
    India's Congress Party launched a country-wide protest on Sunday (March 26) as parliament disqualified its leader, Rahul Gandhi after a court convicted him of defamation for comments that many deemed insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    Gandhi, who represented India's main opposition Congress party in parliament, lost his seat on Friday (March 24), a day after a court in the western state of Gujarat convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years in jail.
    Protesting this move, the Congress staged a 'Satyagrah' or a nonviolent passive resistance, incpired by India's freedom leader Mahatma Gandhi, across the country.
    The scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family and leader of the Congress party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, criticised Modi and reiterated that the party will not get scared of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
    "The prime minister of this country is a coward and you can file a case against me for saying this and send me to jail. However, the truth is the prime minister of this country is a coward," said Vadra as she criticised Modi for her brother's disqualification.
    The court granted Rahul Gandhi bail and suspended his jail sentence for 30 days allowing him to appeal.
    The defamation case was filed in connection with comments Gandhi made in a speech that many deemed insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi's party and its allies have criticized the court ruling as politically motivated.
    Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (March 25) said that he is not bothered by the disqualification from parliament, adding he will continue to defend the democratic voice of the Indian people.
    Gandhi also said that he will continue to question the ties between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani group of companies, which have recently come under scrutiny after a report by short-seller Hindenburg Research.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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