On Tuesday, Sep 1, the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee assembled at Lalbagh in Mangaluru to demonstrate against the First Information Report filed against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The FIR, issued by the central BJP government, targets Gandhi for speaking out on the so‑called ‘purification’ incident in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, and accusing the ruling party of hate politics.
Congress leaders described the complaint as a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent. They argued that the FIR represents an abuse of legal machinery to punish a parliamentarian for raising concerns about communal tensions.
U.T. Khader, the district in‑charge minister for the Congress, addressed the crowd, asserting that the Gandhi family enjoys an inseparable bond with the Indian populace, a connection he claimed BJP leaders lack. He urged party workers to rally behind Rahul Gandhi and support his fight for justice.
Additional speakers included MLA Ivan D'Souza, MESCOM President Harish Kumar and Mangaluru City District Women's Congress President Appi, each echoing the call for solidarity. The gathering emphasized the need for a united front to counter what they termed a baseless legal action.
Former Minister Ramanath Rai, MUDA President Santosh Kumar, Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority District President Bharat Mundodi, Karnataka Environment and Tourism Development Board President Shallet Pinto, and party stalwarts K.K. Shahul Hameed, Shashidhar Hegde, Mohammed Monu, Lukman Bantwal, T.K. Sudheer, Lancelot Pinto, Surendra Kambali, Mohan Kotian, Prakash Salian, Sarika Poojary, Neerajpal, Joachim D'Souza, Dinesh Mooloor, Abbas Ali, Lawrence D'Souza and many others participated in the protest, underscoring broad regional support for the cause.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK