Rahul’s LS disqualification: Cong to hold ‘maun satyagraha’ in state capitals

PTI, Jul 9, 2023, 8:30 PM IST

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New Delhi: Alleging that the BJP deployed ”dirty tricks” to disqualify Rahul Gandhi from Parliament, the Congress on Sunday announced that as a mark of protest, its workers and leaders will hold a ‘maun satyagraha’ near Mahatma Gandhi statues in every state capital on July 12.

In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge organization K C Venugopal said Gandhi has been the strongest and most vocal opponent of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. ”After a hugely successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi delivered a historic address to the Lok Sabha, unearthing the relationship between PM Modi and the Adani Group,” Venugopal said.

As a result, the BJP ”deployed its dirty tricks” to disqualify him from Parliament, he alleged. The Congress on Friday had said it will move the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court refused to stay Gandhi’s conviction in a 2019 defamation case over his ”Modi surname remarks, and alleged that the government is finding newer techniques to throttle his voice as it is rattled by him speaking the truth.

Undeterred, 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 marginalised are facing, Venugopal said.

Even outside Parliament, he remains the voice of the people and the leader who people can trust, he said. ”As a result, not just the Congress, but the entire country is agitated at his wrongful and vindictive disqualification,” he claimed.

”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.

As a mark of protest, all the state units of Congress party are organising a ‘maun satyagraha’ near Mahatma Gandhi statues in every state capital on Wednesday July 12, 2023, from 10 am to 5pm, Venugopal said.

”We believe that the truth, and our commitment for the genuine welfare of every Indian, speaks loud and clear, no matter what tactics the BJP-RSS will deploy against us or our leaders. India will not allow such fascist forces to go on for too long,” he said.