Congress workers' pan-India protest over Rahul's disqualification

The Congress is organising a day-long 'Satyagraha' on Sunday in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters to protest against his disqualification from the Lok Sabha..The Congress organized a day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" outside Delhi's Raj Ghat after their protest request at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial was turned down by the police. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, senior leaders KC Venugopal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid were among the party's top brass took part in the satyagraha. Jairam Ramesh, Mukul Wasnik, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Saktisinh Gohil, Jothimani, Pratibha Singh and Manish Chatrath were also present at the protest site. Several leaders of the party's Delhi also took part in the protest while a large number of party workers gathered outside the venue despite the police refusing to grant permission for the satyagraha. Kharge slammed the  the BJP over its charge that Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs with his remark for which he has been convicted in a criminal defamation case. Kharge also thanked all Opposition parties for standing with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to save democracy.

मुझे खुशी है कि सभी विपक्षी दल राहुल जी के साथ खड़े हैं।

मैं उनका शुक्रिया अदा करता हूं, जो लोकतंत्र को बचाने के लिए हमारे साथ खड़े हैं।

ये एक दिन की लड़ाई नहीं है बल्कि कामयाब होने तक यह लड़ाई जारी रहेगी।

: 'संकल्प सत्याग्रह' में कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge pic.twitter.com/U3POhncYhY

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2023

In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request for holding the satyagraha was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC had been imposed in and around Rajghat. In response to the Delhi Police's action, Venugopal said on Twitter, "After silencing our voice in Parliament, the government has refused to let us hold a peaceful satyagraha at Bapu's (Mahatma Gandhi) samadhi as well.Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction. Rahul Gandhi has changed the status on his Twitter handle and it now reads ''Dis’Qualified MP'.