India’s parliament strips Rahul Gandhi of lawmaker status after conviction, protests spark

The former leader of India’s main opposition political party has been disqualified as a lawmaker, a day after he was handed a two-year jail sentence for defamation, in a ruling his supporters say is politically motivated. India’s Lower House of Parliament was adjourned within a minute of opening for the day’s proceedings on Monday as opposition parties began protesting and shouting slogans, sparking strikes nationwide.