India: opposition parties protest against Rahul Gandhi's exclusion from Parliament

Anti-Indian political leader Rahul Gandhi here at a press conference in New Delhi on March 25, 2023. AP - Altaf Qadri

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Opposition parties in India are rising up after the announcement of Rahul Gandhi's exclusion from parliament. The Congress Party figure faces two years in prison for remarks about the prime minister dating back to 2019. Even the usual opponents of the Congress denounce a political vendetta of the ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).

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With our correspondent in Bangalore, Côme Bastin

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In Modi's New India, opposition leaders have become the BJP's No. 1 target! This is how Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of Bengal, reacted, who left the Congress to launch her own rival party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).

For his part, Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) which has just defeated the Congress in Punjab, does not mince his words against Modi. He believes that "the country must be saved from an arrogant and illiterate dictator".

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Action against Gandhi is aimed at silencing criticism, and all those who love democracy must come forward to oppose it. " said the Communist Chief Minister of Kerala.

► READ ALSO: India: the opponent Rahul Gandhi excluded from Parliament

Statement of CM Sri KCR on the disqualification of Congress MP @RahulGandhi from Lok Sabha:

"Sri Rahul Gandhi's disqualification is an attack on Democratic principles and Constitutional values of India. It reflects the autocratic and egoistic personality of Sri @narendramodi." pic.twitter.com/vJvMOWYCbM

— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) March 24, 2023

A rare united front that gives some hope to Shashi Tharoor, famous congressman of the Congress party: "Everyone. There are at least six opposition parties that are opposed to Congress. I think it can galvanize a change in the months left before next year's election. The urgency now has become obvious. If the opposition remains divided, they will lose much more easily than if they can find unity around the principles of safeguarding democracy.

The Congress announced Friday, March 24, a national and transpartisan movement to "save democracy". But no one knows for the moment which parties will respond to his call. The ruling BJP party maintains that his conviction is perfectly legal.

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• India
• Narendra Damodardas Modi