Panaji: The Goa unit of Congress organized a day-long ‘maun satyagraha’ (silent protest) at Azad Maidan-Panaji on Wednesday, condemning the disqualification of former party President Rahul Gandhi from Parliament due to his conviction in the Modi surname defamation case.
Congress leaders wore black bands over their mouths symbolizing the stifling of freedom of speech by the BJP.
During a media interaction, GPCC President Amit Patkar expressed that the ‘maun satyagraha’ was being observed nationwide in support of Rahul Gandhi.
Patkar stated, “The BJP government has undermined the democracy of the country. This has become evident through their conspiracy against Rahul Gandhi, disqualifying him from Parliament as he exposed the actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government.”
He further accused the Modi government of attempting to dismantle democracy. “Congress workers are silently protesting against this oppressive attitude of the government,” Patkar added.
Highlighting Rahul Gandhi’s efforts in serving the common people, Patkar mentioned his Bharat Jodo Yatra, during which people praised him. “The BJP feared his popularity, and when he exposed the connections between Modi and Adani, he was expelled from Parliament,” he claimed.
Patkar criticized the BJP-led regime in Goa, alleging that they resorted to purchasing Congress MLAs and pressuring them through central agencies like the ED and CBI to secure power.
Aldona MLA Adv. Carlos Alvares Ferreira emphasized that an attack on Rahul Gandhi equates to an attack on democracy.
“Rahulji is a true leader of the underprivileged and genuinely cares about the common citizens of our country. Together, we will fight to restore the democratic values enshrined in our Constitution,” Ferreira affirmed.
Ferreira accused the BJP of suppressing the public’s voice by employing central agencies.
The ‘maun satyagraha’ witnessed the presence of Senior Vice President M K Shaikh, former Union Minister Ramakant Khalap, Senior leader Shambu Bhandekar, Mahila President Beena Naik, and several other prominent Congress members.
