The Congress will hold a day-long 'Satyagraha' in front of Gandhi statues at all states and district headquarters on Sunday to protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha. The satyagraha will begin at 10 AM and end at 5 PM.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will stage the satyagraha at Raj Ghat in the national capital.
Rahul 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 bar Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction.
The Congress leader claimed that the action against him was taken because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "scared" of his next speech in Parliament on the Adani issue and alleged that the "whole game" was to distract people from the issue and the panic the government was feeling over the matter.
The Congress has said that Rahul Gandhi is not alone and millions of Congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice.
To this end, all Pradesh Congress Committees have been asked to organise a one-day Satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues in all State and District Headquarters.
- Also read: Remove criminal defamation as ground for disqualifying elected parliamentarians: Petitioner to SC
Delhi Police refuses permission to Cong
The Delhi Police has denied permission to the Congress for holding ‘satyagraha’ at Rajghat to protest against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, officials said on Sunday.
In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC imposed in and around Rajghat.
A senior police officer told PTI that while permission for holding the satyagraha has been denied, adequate security arrangements have been put in place.