Guwahati: Several Congress lawmakers and officials from Assam were detained in Guwahati on March 25 following a significant protest against Rahul Gandhi’s exclusion as a Lok Sabha MP.
The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha MP prompted Congress leaders and politicians to assemble a sizable gathering in protest.
The BJP allegedly damaged democracy, according to the demonstrators.
Debabrata Saikia, Rokibul Hussain, and a few more senior party leaders were among those detained by the city police.
The demonstrators, who were also seen chanting anti-Modi slogans and brandishing Congress party flags, showed Rahul Gandhi posters and party flags.
They marched towards the Assam Secretariat (Janata Bhawan) from the MLA hostel campus, however the police stopped them close to the Minister’s Colony in the Supermarket area.
Several of the lawmakers and supporters were detained by the police as they marched towards the Secretariat.
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent member of the Congress, lost his right to vote in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
A Wayanad Lok Sabha Member of Parliament named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified after being found guilty of slander.
“Shri Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March, 2023 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,” the Lok Sabha secretariat said in a notification issued on Friday (March 24).
Condemning the step, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called it as bad and bodes ill for democracy.
“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.