'Martyr father insulted in Parliament': Priyanka recalls Rajiv Gandhi's last rites to hit out at PM Modi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi recalled moments from her father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's last rites to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for repeatedly insulting her family.

She said that her brother Rahul walked behind the military truck carrying their father's coffin inspite of their mother Sonia Gandhi being worried about his security.

Priyanaka added she clearly remembers the day 32 years ago when her brother performed their father's last rites just few distance away from Rajghat - the venue of Congress' protest on Sunday.

Asking if a martyred prime minister's son can insult the country, Priyanka Gandhi said, "This is an insult to that prime minister who gave his life." "You have called a martyr's son anti-national, Mir Jafar, insulted his mother in Parliament. The prime minister in Parliament asks why this family does not use the 'Nehru' surname. You insult the entire family and the tradition of Kashmiri Pandits.

"But there is no case against you. You don't get a case or a two-year term and no one disqualifies you. Why?" she asked.

Priyanka Gandhi said till today, they have been insulting "our family and we remained silent but not any more".

She said a martyred prime minister's son who walked thousands of kilometres for national unity can never insult the country as the Congress held a nationwide protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha.

Priyanka Gandhi was addressing the 'Sankalp Satyagraha' at Rajghat -- the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi -- to protest against Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

She said the time had come to raise a voice against an "arrogant government" as barring Rahul Gandhi from contesting elections does not bode well for the country and its democracy.

The Congress has launched a day-long satyagraha at all states and district headquarters to protest against Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in the defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi (52), a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction.

The Congress leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi was disqualified for questioning the prime minister on industrialist Gautam Adani and people will give a befitting reply to those behind the action.

"My family's blood has ploughed democracy in this country. We are ready to do anything for this country's democracy. Great leaders of the Congress laid the foundation of democracy in this country.

"Time has come and we are not the ones who will remain silent anymore," she told the outside Rajghat.