Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

India's Congress party holds countrywide protests over leader's disqualification

India's Congress party holds countrywide protests over leader's disqualification

Leaders of India's main opposition party Congress are holding nationwide protests against the disqualification of their leader Rahul Gandhi from parliament.
Gandhi was removed as an MP last week after he was sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case.

He was convicted by a court for 2019 comments about PM Narendra Modi's surname at a election rally.

The Congress has criticised the action as politically motivated.

But the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied the allegations and said Mr Gandhi's expulsion conformed with parliamentary rules.

On Monday, hundreds of Congress leaders held protests against Mr Gandhi's disqualification in Delhi for a second day.

Protests were also held in states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat where party workers held rallies.

In Delhi, leaders from a swath of India's opposition parties joined the demonstrations held inside Parliament premises.

Several of them wore black clothes to the House in what was the first sitting of the Lok Sabha - the lower house of parliament - since Mr Gandhi's disqualification last week.

Protests continued even inside parliament, leading to several adjournments during the day.

Ahead of the session, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of stifling dissent in the country.

"When we speak in Parliament, they don't let the House function," Mr Tiwari said. "When we speak outside, they take [a]decision that leads to disqualification [of party leaders]."

Gandhi was a Congress party MP from Wayanad in the southern state state of Kerala.

The 52-year-old leader is the scion of a Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has given India three prime ministers - and his disqualification comes ahead of the 2024 general elections in India.

He remains on bail for 30 days and has said he will appeal the verdict given by a court in Gujarat state.

While Mr Gandhi has called the action against him politically motivated, his supporters say his disqualification is a sign that India's democratic system is weakening.

On Sunday, Mr Gandhi's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her brother was being targeted because he has been asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi tough questions about his relationship with Gautam Adani, founder of the Adani conglomerate.

The huge conglomerate was accused of decades of "brazen" stock manipulation and accounting fraud by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research earlier this year. The Adani Group has denied allegations of financial fraud.

Speaking at a day-long protest held by Congress, Ms Vadra said Mr Modi was a "coward" and accused him of "hiding behind his power".

"File a case on me, put me in jail too, but this is the truth," she said.

Ms Vadra added that her party would continue their fight against the BJP.

"My family has nurtured the democracy of this country with their blood. Those who think they can threaten us by insulting us or use central agencies against us, are wrong. We are not going to be threatened," she said.

Meanwhile, several opposition MPs have filed notices in the Parliament, renewing calls for an investigation into the Adani Group.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×