JOIN USRahul's disqualification darkest day in democracy: Kharge
Terming the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the "darkest day" in Indian democracy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the BJP government was destroying democracy and pushing the country to dictatorship.
"The day the court order against Gandhi came, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Speaker Om Birla. Subsequently, things happened at a lightning speed by disqualifying Gandhi and asking him to vacate (his) house, despite the court giving him one-month time. Such actions are condemnable, destroying democratic norms and pushing us towards dictatorship," said Kharage.
Kharge was inaugurating Congress's year-long centenary celebration of Vaikom Satyagraha, a historic renaissance movement against caste discrimination in the Kottayam district of Kerala. It was also his first visit to Kerala after taking over as Congress president.
He said that even though the petitioner against Gandhi was not from an OBC, the BJP was unleashing false propaganda that he insulted the community. "Vindictive actions were being taken against Gandhi for raising questions regarding Modi's nexus with Adani," said Kharge.
The Vaikom Satyagraha from March 30, 1924, to November 23, 1925, was against the prohibition imposed on other backward communities like the prominent Hindu-Ezhava and backward communities in using the roads around the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple which is situated in the present Kottayam district. Mahatma Gandhi also attended the stir, which was initiated by Congress. Many prominent leaders from the upper castes and social reformers were among those who led the nonviolent stir, which also paved the way for many such stirs against discrimination.
The CPM government in Kerala is also organising a year-long centenary celebration which would be inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on April 1.