Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has joined Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in condemning the latter’s arrest during a protest by opposition parties in New Delhi. “Horrified to see Rahul Gandhi being dragged away and detained during today’s opposition protest in the Lok Sabha,” said Tharoor. The protest was associated with protests against electoral rights and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The lawmaker noted that protesting under these circumstances meant standing in solidarity with the people whose constitutional rights were, as he claimed, being impacted.
A strong reaction from Tharoor
Tharoor condemned the government’s approach to the protest as “shameful.” The Gandhi response during the protest was also condemned by Tharoor. In his statement, Tharoor linked the sit-in to the larger question of the rights of citizens under the Constitution. “Standing up in protest is also a way of standing with those who believe their rights are being ignored,” he said.
Questions over Gandhi’s detention
Gandhi’s detention during the demonstration became a key point of discussion as opposition leaders raised concerns over the handling of the protest. Tharoor’s comments specifically drew attention to Gandhi’s position as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and questioned the manner in which he was taken into detention.
A prior commitment in Berlin
He also shared why he was not there with his own eyes when the protest was happening in New Delhi. I’d promised to be in Berlin for a conference that was about four months ago now,” he said. “Because of that, I couldn’t be there for the demonstration, but I can support from a distance.”
The wider rights debate
Tharoor’s tweet shifted the narrative away from the detention itself and to the controversy surrounding the right to express dissent. The demonstration was in response to opposition protests on electoral issues and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Tharoor’s comments connected those protests to the broader issue of constitutional rights. He concluded his message by saying that he was hopeful that “justice will win out’.
