Rahul Gandhi disqualified as Lok Sabha MP after conviction, sentencing in defamation case
NEW DELHI,MAR 24. : Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as Lok Sabha MP a day after a Surat court sentenced him to two-year jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The Wayanad MP was convicted over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remark. After the Congress MP was disqualified as an MP, communication was sent to relevant authorities, including the election commission.
“Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat in C.C./ 18712/2019, Shri Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March, 2023 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,” the Lok Sabha notice read.
Reacting to the disqualification, Congress said, “This is outrageous and truth shall prevail.”
“The day Rahul Gandhi raised questions against Adani, PM, this type of conspiracy was started to silence Rahul Gandhi. It’s a clear case of the anti-democratic, dictatorship attitude of BJP govt,” said Congress MP KC Venugopal.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the BJP has tried all ways to disqualify Rahul Gandhi but Congress would continue their demand for a JPC probe into the Adani group issue.
“They (BJP) tried all ways to disqualify him. They don’t want to keep those who are speaking the truth but we will continue to speak the truth. We’ll continue to demand JPC, If needed we’ll go to jail to save democracy,” Congress chief Kharge said.
Irked by his brother’s disqualification, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too took to Twitter and asked if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is supporting the corrupts?
“Nirav Modi scam – Rs 14,000 crore; Lalit Modi scam – Rs 425 crore; Mehul Choksi scam – Rs 13,500 crore…Why has the BJP come to the rescue of those who looted the country’s money? Why is it running away from investigation? Cases are brought against those who raise questions. Is the BJP supporting corrupts?” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
“I’m stunned by this action and by its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy,” wrote Thiruvanathapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
“Termination of Lok Sabha membership of Rahul Gandhi is another example of dictatorship. The BJP should not forget that they had adopted the same method against Mrs. Indira Gandhi as well and had to face the consequences. Shri Rahul Gandhi is the voice of the country which will be stronger now against this dictatorship,” tweeted Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.
“In Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul ji raised the issue of inflation, unemployment, corruption and violence. Instead of paying attention to them, the BJP government is taking repressive steps against Rahul ji,” the Congress leader said.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter, “We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani MahaMegaScam,@RahulGandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti.”
“This is a court order. Everyone should accept it. The Court convicted him. The manner in which he insulted a community at the time of the elections…this has sent out a good message across the country,” said BJP MP Vinod Sonkar on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP.
On Thursday, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court for referring to thieves as having the surname Modi. The court granted the Congress leader bail and suspended the sentence for a month to let him file an appeal.
The case was filed under IPC 499 and 500, against Gandhi for his remark on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA from Surat West and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi in April 2019. The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the alleged remark while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“I have a question. Why do all thieves have Modi in their names, whether it is Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi? We don’t know how many more such Modis will come out,” Rahul Gandhi had said.
While speaking in court on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said, “I have always raised my voice against corruption. My intention was never wrong or to hurt anyone.”
Rahul Gandhi sentenced to 2 years in jail. Here’s what law on disqualification of convicted MPs says
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held 52-year-old Gandhi guilty, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
Rahul Gandhi attended Lok Sabha proceedings on Friday a day after being convicted in the defamation case. He attended a meeting of party MPs before the start of the House proceedings. Congress Parliamentary Party Chief Sonia Gandhi was also present during the meeting.
-The India Today
