Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi disqualified from parliament

Congress members held protests in some parts of the country on Friday against Gandhi’s conviction and two-year-old jail sentence

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi disqualified from parliament

TOP opposition figure Rahul Gandhi was expelled from India's Parliament on Friday (24), a day after his defamation conviction for a remark seen as an insult against prime minister Narendra Modi.

Modi's government has been widely accused of using the law to target and silence critics, and the case in the premier's home state of Gujarat is one of several lodged against his chief opponent in recent years.


Gandhi, of the opposition Congress party, was sentenced to two years imprisonment but walked free on bail after his lawyers vowed to appeal Thursday's verdict.

However, the conviction has ruled him ineligible to continue sitting in the Lok Sabha, or lower house of Indian parliament, a notice from the chamber's joint secretary said.

"Rahul Gandhi... stands disqualified from the member of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction," the notice said.

Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh confirmed that his party had received the notice.

"Black Day for Indian Democracy!" wrote Srinivas Bhadravathi Venkata, president of the party's youth wing, on Twitter.

Gandhi, 52, is the leading face of the Congress party, once the dominant force of Indian politics, with a proud role in ending British colonial rule, but now a shadow of its former self.

He is the scion of India's most famous political dynasty and the son, grandson and great-grandson of former prime ministers, beginning with independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

But he has struggled to challenge the electoral juggernaut of Modi and its nationalist appeals to the country's Hindu majority.

Thursday's case stemmed from a remark made during the 2019 election campaign in which Gandhi had asked why "all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname".

His comments were seen as a slur against the prime minister, who went on to win the election in a landslide.

Members of the government also said the remark was a smear against all those sharing the Modi surname, which is associated with the lower rungs of India's traditional caste hierarchy.

Gandhi faces at least two other defamation cases in the country and a money laundering case that has been snaking its way through India's glacial legal system for more than a decade.

(AFP)

More For You

uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma’s Canada cafe shot at days after opening

Instagram/ginnichatrath

Kapil Sharma’s Canadian café targeted in shooting, Khalistani terrorist cites mockery of Nihang Sikhs as motive

Highlights:

  • Shots were fired at Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, just days after its opening.
  • Khalistani extremist Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to banned group BKI, claimed responsibility.
  • The motive cited was an old comedy segment from The Kapil Sharma Show that allegedly mocked Nihang Sikhs.
  • No injuries were reported; Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s recently launched Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, was the target of a shooting in the early hours of 10 July. Though no one was harmed, the property sustained significant damage. A known Khalistani extremist, Harjit Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing perceived religious disrespect on The Kapil Sharma Show.

 Kap\u2019s Cafe in Surrey  Kap’s Cafe in Surrey was struck by gunfire late at night with staff still insideInstagram/thekapscafe_

Keep ReadingShow less
Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)

Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.

The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navratri festival in Wembley

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.

Getty Images

Navratri festival in Wembley faces objections

A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.

Keep ReadingShow less