Superfast Train Stopped By Congress Workers In Madhya Pradesh In Protest

A superfast train was today stopped by Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress workers protesting against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as member of parliament, a day after his defamation conviction for a remark seen as an insult against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Scores of Congress workers chanting "Rahul Gandhi Jindabad; Narendra Modi Murdabad" slogans stopped the train at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal. They also carried banners proclaiming "Black Day For Indian Democracy".  

"Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress today stopped Dakshin Express train at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal to protest against the autocratic disqualification of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership," said Vikrant Bhuria, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief, adding it is the start of a revolution.

Some of the workers were also seen lying on the rail tracks.

The PM Modi-led government at the Centre has been widely accused of using the law to target and silence critics.

Mr Gandhi was sentenced to two years imprisonment but walked free on bail after his lawyers vowed to appeal Thursday's verdict.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has declared the 52-year-old Congress leader's constituency in Kerala's Wayanad vacant. The Election Commission can now announce a special election for the seat.

Several Opposition parties - including Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party - reacted sharply to the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Member of the Parliament.

Reacting to his disqualification this evening, Rahul Gandhi said he is "ready to pay any cost".

"I am fighting for the voice of India. I am ready to pay any price," he tweeted in Hindi.

The case against Rahul Gandhi stemmed from a remark made during the 2019 election campaign, in which the Congress leader had asked why "all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname".