J&K: Call for Unity as Parties Condemn Rahul Gandhi's Expulsion
congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Image Courtesy: PTI
Srinagar: Following the disqualification of top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir have slammed the move terming it a means to silence the opposition and jeopardising the top institution of the country.
Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M Y Tarigami, whilst expressing shock over the disqualification, said that the move was “dictatorial”, and has put democratic institutions and values of the Indian Parliament at risk.
“It is not an injury against Rahul Gandhi but our parliamentary traditions. We have seen the Emergency period and heard about dictatorships but this is unheard of – how Gandhi was removed by a pen’s stroke. It is not about one Rahul but everything that our forefathers have fought for is at stake,” Tarigami told reporters.
The leader also urged all opposition parties across the country to unite and raise their voice in support of democracy and the democratic institutions, which, he said, are being weakened.
In a tweet, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also expressed support for the opposition leader and indicated that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is beginning to face political defeat from Gandhi.
“GOI is clearly rattled by RG for emerging as a powerful challenger pre 2024 elections. Since BJP can’t fight him politically, they are now subverting institutions because he refuses to do a Savarkar. The apprehensions he voiced in London are tragically being proven right,” the former chief minister said.
Former J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Ghulam Ahmad Mir termed Gandhi’s disqualification as a “blatant misuse of power” by the Modi government.
Mir in a party statement said that the government is not able to fight Gandhi politically and hence was removed by an “unethical” move. “India has never witnessed such vendetta politics and dictatorial rule. Prime Minister is not able to face the truth given his policies and deep nexus with some Corporates at the cost of the Nation, so the disqualification of Rahul Ji was planned by the Govt to divert the attention from the issues he (Rahul Gandhi) was raising in and outside Parliament,” Mir was quoted as saying.
During his Bharat Jodo Yatra, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir including the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, and CPI(M) strongly backed Rahul Gandhi – who received a massive welcome in the region in what many said was an act to express opposition to the BJP.
National Conference (JKNC) spokesperson Ifra Jan told NewsClick that it doesn't bode well for democracy and that there is a legitimate need to take a look at the “criminal defamation” law.
She added that the haste with which the Lok Sabha Secretary has moved to disqualify Rahul Gandhi suggests that this is more about politics than it is about the law.
"Regardless of how the BJP may try to project that they are not bothered by Gandhi using disparaging terms to address him, the speed with which they engineered his disqualification proves that they are deeply rattled by the success of his recent yatra and his growing acceptance in the country," Jan said.
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