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Had Rahul apologised, situation would have not reached his disqualification: Athawale
Fielding media queries in Jammu, Union minister of state Ramdas Athawale said, “Rahul frequently talks against India when abroad and cancelling his membership of the Parliament is a right decision.”
Union minister of state Ramdas Athawale on Friday termed disqualification of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha a right decision.
Fielding media queries in Jammu, Athawale said, “Rahul frequently talks against India when abroad and cancelling his membership of the Parliament is a right decision.”
The Wayanad MP was disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after he was convicted in a defamation case by a Surat court.
“Rahul is a leader of Congress, who remained party’s president and vice-president. The Congress ruled the country for 60 to 70 years, so Rahul should have known that going abroad and talking against the nation is not good,” the minister said.
“There is a provision of one man, one vote, one value in our Constitution. Our democracy is strong and for Rahul to say in London that India doesn’t have democracy was disservice to the nation,” he added.
Athawale said following Rahul’s unwarranted remarks in London, the BJP and the NDA had protested for eight to 10 days.
“Rahul should have apologised, but he didn’t budge from his stand. Had he apologised, his disqualification may not have happened. The Lok Sabha speaker has the authority to take action if a MP talked against nation abroad and therefore the decision by Om Birla was a right decision and much-needed,” he added.
On Surat court’s judgment, he said that the Congress leader had already got bail.
“Since he tried to insult Modi surname, a man had moved the court, which adjudicated the case and awarded two-year imprisonment to Rahul. That’s a separate issue. His disqualification (from Lok Sabha) was a different issue that pertained to the Parliament. Rahul had defamed Parliament and India in London,” he added.
Earlier, Athwale said that PM Modi’s government wants development in Jammu and Kashmir.
“That’s why Article 370 was removed because it was a major impediment in the development and progress of Jammu and Kashmir. Following revocation, we now see peace in the region,” he added.
Athawale said that assembly elections may soon be held in J&K.
Disqualification misuse of power: J&K leaders
Srinagar The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha was strongly criticised by leaders of mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, who called it a “misuse of power”.
Former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the BJP can’t fight Rahul politically.
“GOI is clearly rattled by Rahul for emerging as a powerful challenger pre-2024 elections. Since the BJP can’t fight him politically, they are now subverting institutions. The apprehensions he voiced in London are tragically being proven right,” Mehbooba tweeted after the notification of Rahul’s disqualification was issued on Friday.
CPI (M) general secretary and former legislator MY Tarigami said the government of present day is afraid of dissident. “The disqualification of Rahul is a step towards dictatorship against our democracy and the Parliament. This is not an attack on Rahul, but on our parliamentary ethics. The current government is afraid of disagreeing voices. Nobody is allowed to speak in the Parliament and now, members are being disqualified. We had never thought this could happen in India,” he added.
Former J&K Congress president GA Mir said, “Rahul’s disqualification is a blatant misuse of power by Modi government as it can’t fight him politically. He is paying the price of fighting the dictatorial government.”
J&K Congress, meanwhile, held a silent protest in Jammu against the “politics of vendetta and suppression of voice of dissent”.
Congress workers and top leadership led by JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani gathered at Shaheedi Chowk outside the party headquarters to express solidarity with Rahul.
“Rahul used to fearlessly raise the voice of the common man, especially the poor, youth and women and against those who have been looting the taxpayers’ money. He has been punished for speaking the truth,” Wani said.
The BJP, however, justified Rahul’s conviction by Surat court and said that the Congress leader has defamed the people belonging to the OBC category.
“Not surprised to see Rahul being convicted in a criminal conspiracy case. What can one expect from a juvenile politician like Rahul, who defamed 52% of OBC people, besides spreading hatred against country at the international level. One shouldn’t be surprised to see Rahul’s conviction as he is the one who claimed to have met terrorists during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir. Law is above all,” BJP’s J&K spokesperson Altaf Thakur said.
