'Rahul Gandhi paying price for… Government rattled': Congress after disqualification setback

The Congress slammed BJP-led central government after Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha, 24 hours after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

The Congress on Friday alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government is rattled and finding new techniques to throttle Rahul Gandhi's voice, after the former Congress president was disqualified from Lok Sabha, 24 hours after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been disqualified as a Member of the Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark on March 23.(ANI file)

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Rahul Gandhi is paying a price for speaking out “fearlessly” both inside and outside the Parliament.

“We all know that Rahul Gandhi has been speaking out fearlessly both inside and outside the Parliament. Clearly, he is paying a price for it. The government is rattled. This government is finding new techniques to throttle his voice,” Singhvi said.

Singhvi added that the party is confident that it will get a stay of the conviction which will remove the very basis of this disqualification.

“We are confident that we will get a stay of the conviction which will remove the very basis of this disqualification. We have full faith in the law. We believe we will emerge victorious in the near future,” the Congress leader added.

Gandhi has been disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark, March 23.

Earlier, party leader Shashi Tharoor took a dig at the order and said that he was stunned by the “rapidity” of the action and termed it as “politics with the gloves off”.

Taking to Twitter, Tharoor said, "I am 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."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told news agency ANI, "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."

Party leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "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 Maha Mega Scam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti."

Rahul Gandhi made the "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" remark in April 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi was an MP from the seat of Wayanad in Kerala. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi.

(With inputs from agencies)