Martyr PM's son can never insult country: Priyanka slams BJP at Satyagraha address

The Congress is holding a day-long 'Satyagraha' on Sunday across the country against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are leading the satyagraha from Raj Ghat in the national capital.

In a letter, the Delhi Police said the request was rejected due to law and order and traffic reasons and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC imposed in and around Rajghat.

Martyr PM's son who walked for national unity can never insult country: Cong's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Addressing a gathering, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said a martyred prime minister's son who walked thousands of kilometres for national unity can never insult the country as the Congress held a nationwide protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha.

She said the time had come to raise a voice against an "arrogant government" as barring Rahul Gandhi from contesting elections does not bode well for the country and its democracy.

The Congress leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi was disqualified for questioning the prime minister on industrialist Gautam Adani and people will give a befitting reply to those behind the action.

"My family's blood has ploughed democracy in this country. We are ready to do anything for this country's democracy. Great leaders of the Congress laid the foundation of democracy in this country. "Time has come and we are not the ones who will remain silent anymore," she told the gathering at the "Sankalp Satyagraha" outside Rajghat.

Asking if a martyred prime minister's son can insult the country, Priyanka Gandhi, "This is an insult to that prime minister who gave his life."

What Congress says on Rahul's disqualification

The party feels that Rahul Gandhi's conviction and disqualification, which it has alleged was done in reaction to his consistently questioning the relationship between PM Narendra Modi and businessman Gautam Adani, poses a serious threat to the world's largest democracy.

The Congress has said that Rahul Gandhi is not alone and millions of congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has refused to apologise over his recent comments against the BJP and the RSS.

"My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday responding to a query on repeated calls by the BJP seeking his apology over various issues.

Rahul Gandhi was disqualified on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case.

The court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal to a higher court. His lawyers vowed to appeal the verdict in a higher court.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat also declared his constituency in Kerala's Wayanad vacant. The Election Commission can now announce a special election for the seat.

The disqualification also bars him from contesting polls for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction.