Rahul disqualification an assault on democracy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Strongly condemning the Lok Sabha secretariat decision to disqualify Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed the hasty move the latest chapter in the ongoing assault on democracy by the Sangh Parivar. In a strongly worded statement, the lone Communist chief minister in the country said that using force to suppress dissent is a fascist method. 

Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified citing a court verdict in a case that was filed against him for a political speech, he pointed out.

“If a prominent leader of the Opposition is attacked like this, what will be the fate of common people who express their voices freely? What respect do they have for our constitutional values? The arrest of Opposition MPs in Delhi for protesting against political interference in non-BJP-ruled states using agencies under the Union government and the cases against Manish Sisodia and Rahul Gandhi are the other sides of this. In Delhi, cases are being filed and mass arrests are being made for sticking posters against the Union government. None of these augurs well for a democratic society, or fall in line with our constitutional tenets,” said Pinarayi. 

The hasty decision to disqualify @RahulGandhi as a member of the Lok Sabha is yet another episode in @BJP4India's authoritarian rampage against Indian democracy. This brazen assault is an insult to our democratic values and can't be overlooked. It must be unequivocally denounced.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) March 24, 2023

The CPM politburo member further said that the growing intolerance towards criticism has been endangering Indian democracy. In light of the development, democratic forces in the country should stand together and condemn the action against Rahul Gandhi, said Pinarayi.

Leaders from Left parties too have come out against the decision. “Vindictive politics can never be politics of righteousness. It reveals once again the fascist arrogance of RSS-BJP. In cases involving NCP MP Faizal and Rahul Gandhi,  the government moved with lightning speed. When questions of frauds and scams come, they compete with snails. That is BJP !” tweeted CPI’s Rajya Saba MP and party national secretariat member Binoy Viswam.

Stunned by the rapidity of action: Tharoor

The Congress leadership in Kerala has termed the decision to disqualify Rahul Gandhi as politically motivated and taken in haste. Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said he is stunned by the rapidity of the action against Rahul.

“I’m stunned by this action and by its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy,” he tweeted.

The Congress will fight the decision legally and politically, said Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan. “The Surat court verdict is not the final word. The Congress believes in democracy and rule of law. We have got a legal system that goes all the way to the Supreme Court. Rahul Gandhi will return to treading the legal path. Neither Rahul nor the Congress can be silenced with such acts,” said Satheesan. 

He added that Congress will fight vendetta politics and communalism. The state Congress leadership has decided to take out a Raj Bhavan march in protest against the Lok Sabha secretariat decision on Monday. State Congress president K Sudhakaran, Satheesan, MPs, MLAs, and other senior leaders will take part in the march.

Need united action: Antony

Senior Congress leader A K Antony has called for united action by all political parties to fight the Central government’s organised move to silence those who speak against the BJP and the prime minister. Congress will fight the move against Rahul Gandhi politically and legally and the AICC will choke out a plan soon.

“The incidents that are happening around Delhi are very disturbing. Will democracy prevail in India or will the country move to a controlled democracy? Those who want democracy to prevail in India should fight against the Modi government’s organised attempts to control democracy. The orchestrated move against Rahul Gandhi did not start now. BJP and Modi are frightened of Rahul. BJP and RSS had filed over 30 petitions against Rahul in various parts of the country. The recent incident proves that they will go to any extent to weaken Rahul politically,” he said.

The plight of Congress a sad case study: Anil Antony

Kochi: In a big embarrassment to Congress veteran A K Antony, his son Anil K Antony on Friday slammed Rahul Gandhi on a day on which the senior Antony and other party leaders condemned the disqualification of Rahul as an MP.

“The plight of the Indian National Congress from 2014, especially post-2017 is a sad case study. The party ideally should stop focusing on the gaffes and bloopers of an individual and work on the issues of the country. Else won’t exist beyond 2024,” Anil tweeted.

The plight of @incindia from 2014, especially post 2017 is a sad case study. The party ideally should stop focussing on the gaffes and bloopers of an individual and work on the issues of the country. Else won’t exist beyond 2024. https://t.co/M8TLIuHIV3

— Anil K Antony (@anilkantony) March 24, 2023

Anil has been taking pro-government stands in recent times. In January, he quit Congress after the party workers took to social media demanding that he retract a tweet in which he supported the ban on a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.