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‘Beginning of the end of…’: Uddhav reacts as Rahul Gandhi loses Lok Sabha seat
The conviction in 2019 defamation case has ruled Rahul Gandhi ineligible to continue sitting in the Lok Sabha, a notice from the chamber's joint secretary said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday criticised the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a member of Parliament, calling it a “murder of democracy.” Thackeray said that “calling thief a thief” has become crime in this country and asserted it was the “beginning of the end of dictatorship.” (Also Read | Politics with gloves off: Congress leaders on Rahul's Lok Sabha disqualification)
“Rahul Gandhi's membership of parliament has finally terminated. Calling a thief as thief has become a crime in our country. Thieves looting the country are still free and Rahul Gandhi has been punished. This is a direct murder of democracy,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
"All government systems are under pressure. This is the beginning of the end of dictatorship,” he added.
Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi called the action “vindictive and shameful.”
“This disqualification yet again proves that we are living in the times of caged democracy,” she tweeted.
Gandhi lost his Lok Sabha seat after a lower court in Gujarat found him of guilty of defamation over his remarks about Modi surname and he was disqualified from the lawmaking body.
Rahul Gandhi disqualified as Lok Sabha member. Here's what the notification says
The case against Gandhi dates back to an election rally in 2019 when he said: “Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?” and went on to name fugitive Indian diamond tycoon Nirav Modi, banned Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi. The defamation case was filed by BJP leader Purnesh Modi, claiming Gandhi’s comments had “defamed the entire Modi community.”
Gandhi, who represented Wayanad constituency in Kerala, was disqualified from his membership in Lok Sabha from March 23, the date of his conviction.
The court granted Rahul Gandhi bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court. The Congress leader can now only escape disqualification as a Lok Sabha member if the appellate court suspends the conviction as well as the two-year jail term.
