Rahul’s disqualification silhouettes Indira’s arrest

For some in the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha is reminiscent of the “vengeful” treatment the Janata Party government meted out to Indira Gandhi in October 1977 when it arrested her and four former ministers on charges of corruption and misuse of authority.

The Janata government’s action boomeranged, swaying public sympathy in her favour within months of the Congress’ historic loss in the post-Emergency general elections, where she lost her LS seat. Her arrest brought her back into public life and focus. Indira Gandhi termed her arrest on October 3, 1977, as a “political one” to “prevent” her “from going to the people” and “discredit” her in the eyes of the world. “We have offered our cooperation to the government in any programme for the welfare of the people. However, we can't be silent spectators when we see suffering and injustice,” she said.

Also Read | TMC, Left condemn disqualification of Rahul Gandhi; Cong supporters protest in Kolkata

The next day the court released her as the magistrate found that no evidence had been put forth. A year after her arrest, which lasted 16 hours, Indira won a LS bypoll from Karnataka’s Chikmagalur and was again the PM in 1980.

On Friday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her brother’s disqualification from the LS, on the basis of a speech made in the 2019 LS campaign in Karnataka’s Kolar, was because he questioned the government on Adani Group inside and outside Parliament.

She said the BJP leaders frequently make disparaging comments against her family, her brother, her father Rajiv and mother Sonia Gandhi, her grandmother Indira Gandhi and great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru.

Congress leaders hoped Karnataka’s electorate would again give a fitting reply to the vengeful politics against a Gandhi family member and the party would win the upcoming Assembly polls.