The news about disqualification of former Congress chief and Waynad, Kerala, MP Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha after he was convicted by a Surat Court, Gujarat and sentenced to two years for using derogatory remarks against PM Modi n Modi community in his speech in Karnataka in 2019 , is being widely published and talked about in international media like The Washington Post, The BBC, Alzazeera, CNN, The Guardian etc.
After this political development in India the foreign media has not only published reports in detail in print media but the international television news channels too exhibited this news showing Rahul’s pictures adequately.
Usually the internal matters of domestic politics are not highlighted in global media except when such developments hold international significance.
Moreover, Rahul had recently toured United Kingdom and his statements criticizing the present government on various domestic issues have angered and irked the treasury benchers in Parliament who strongly protested against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and asked him to seek public apology for openly defaming Indian while on foreign land etc. The Congress leader had complained of stifling the voice of dissent and about Hindenburg’s startling disclosures including he not being allowed to speak in Parliament and the Mike muted usually.
The parliament saw adjournment motions and walkouts also with opposition MPs demanding JPC probe on Adani Hindenburg revelations allegedly leading to massive losses to the public exchequer.
The anti BJP opposition including Congress party leaders, MPs shouting slogans and carrying play cards had held several protests inside parliament precincts.
However, after Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from parliament membership the foreign media is terming this as a golden opportunity for anti BJP opposition to unite.
Alzazeera said that while Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified after completing his 150 day old Bharat Jodi Yatra, the Congress party will be fully revived.
Asia Pacific wrote a report with the heading : “Expelling Rahul Gandhi from Parliament, Modi allies Thwart a Top Rival”.
One of the foreign news report after this development of Rahul’s disqualification as Lok Sabha member mentions : Rahul Gandhi went to battle against prime minister Narendra Nodi in elections four years ago waving the banner of multi – sectarian tradition and characterising Mr. Modi as the dangerous Hindu Nationalist who would whittle away the country’s democracy if he remains in power. A Modi landslide in that 2019 vote all but buried Mr. Gandhi and the storied party his family had led for generations, the Indian National Congress. ON FRIDAY MODI’S ALLIES MOVED TO FINISH THE JOB. OFFICIAL DISQUALIFIED MR. GANDHI FROM HIS SEAT IN PARLIAMENT – JUST A DAY AFTER A COURT FOUND HIM GUILTY OF CRIMINAL DEFAMATION adding further that ONE OF THE RARE SPOTS FOR MR MODI IN PUBLIC HAS BEEN THE RECENT CRASH OF THE ADANI GROUP, A CORPORATE GIANT LED BY A CLOSE ALLY WHO IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S RICHEST MAN GAUTAM ADANI, 60. THE PM HAS BE VISIBLY uncomfortable about it and has not uttered the name Adani in public since the company took a beating at the hands of shor sellers and lost more than 135 billion US dollars.
The news report says that Rahul Gandhi still has thirty days to appeal in higher court and if acquitted will be reinstated as Member Lok Sabha.
On Monday there are nationwide protests by Congress party in all the states including courting of arrests programmes, a call given by the party high command.
Majority of the news analysts are of the opinion that excessive regressive and repressive measures against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi especially his arbitrary disqualification has only added fuel to fire with entire Congress party not only being fully revived but people of the country also coming to a conclusion that the ruling party is crossing all limits by misusing their powers and trying to finish the opposition. The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and promotion of ultra rich like Adani Ambani including imposition of repressive measures compounded with disqualification of Rahul Gandhi are some of the factors that seem to going against the ruling party say political analysts. The scattered oppostion of the country is also taking this development as a right moment to unify with Rahul likely to be its nucleus despite TMC’s Mamta etc proving to be a bottleneck in the unity exercise by sidelining Rahul. However, she surprisingly extended support to him after he was disqualified. Mamta tweeted on March 24 :
This is also worth mentioning that prior to Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification some of the opinion polls have given full marks to prime minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party predicting its thumping victory in the 2024 national elections especially in view of the badly scattered anti BJP opposition.
