Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reverse Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Parliament forthe sake of Indian democracy.
Khanna tweeted: “The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi... is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and India’s deepest values. This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for. @narendramodi you have the power to reverse this decision for the sake of Indian democracy.”
Another US legislator, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, tweeted: “As a friend of India, this news is alarming. In a healthy democracy, you don’t silence opposition —you debate them. Free speech is essential to democracy &India has already fallen to#150 out of #180 in the WorldPress Freedom Index. This isanother step in the wrong direction.”
The US state department did not comment on the disqualification, which has attracted wide media coverage overseas.
