Congress observes silent protest in Kolkata over Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha disqualification

Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha in March after he was convicted by a Surat court in Gujarat in a 2019 criminal defamation case

West Bengal Congress president and party MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had earlier written to Speaker Om Birla to hold a debate on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on July 12 held a silent protest in Kolkata to express solidarity with party leader Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified from the Lok Sabha.

Sporting black bands on their arms, Mr. Chowdhury along with his party colleagues gathered at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing in the central part of the city and started the 'maun satyagraha'.

They will hold the demonstration till 5 p.m., a party leader said.

Mr. Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha in March after he was convicted by a Surat court in Gujarat in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

The Gujarat High Court had on July 7 dismissed Mr. Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.

Mr. Chowdhury, who is the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, had earlier written to Speaker Om Birla to hold a debate on the disqualification of Mr. Gandhi.