Opposition rallies behind Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his disqualification

Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha, Parliament’s Lower House, a day after a court in Gujarat’s Surat held him guilty of criminal defamation

Former Congress president and MP Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Parliament on Friday, a day after his conviction by the Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

Former Congress president and MP Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Parliament on Friday (File Photo)

Announcing his disqualification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification said that it was effective from March 23, the day of his conviction.

Gandhi was convicted under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which provides for imprisonment of up to two years, and later released on bail. The court suspended the sentence for 30 days on Gandhi’s plea.

Shortly after Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha on Friday, Congress wrote on Twitter, “Lok Sabha membership of Rahul Gandhi has been terminated. He is continuously fighting for you and this country from road to parliament, trying everything possible to save democracy. Despite every conspiracy, he will continue this fight at all costs and will take just action in this matter. The fight continues.”

Reacting to the disqualification news, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI, “They (BJP) [Bharatiya Janata Party] 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 [Joint Parliamentary Committee]. If needed we’ll go to jail to save democracy.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the party will fight the battle both legally and politically.

“We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the Prime Minister-linked Adani MahaMegaScam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti,” Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.

Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Randeep Singh Surjewala also expressed their displeasure over the developments.

“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,” Tharoor wrote on Twitter.

“The real face of PM Modi and the ruling gang has been exposed. If it is a crime to question the fugitives and PM’s friends who ran away after looting the bank, then every Indian will commit this crime again and again. No more theft of country’s money It is a crime to take the name of thieves,” Surjewala posted on his official Twitter account.

“Today is a “Black Day” in Democracy!,” he said.

Another Congress MP KC Venugopal called the disqualification as a conspiracy to silence Gandhi.

“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 anti-democratic, dictatorship attitude of BJP govt”, he said.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hit out at the PM Narendra Modi-led government and said that the country is witnessing politics of vendetta.

“It is a sheer case of retributive politics because Rahul Gandhi has been gaining popularity, especially in the wake of Bharat Jodo Yatra which was not digested by Modi government This is a very cruel demonstration of an autocratic government,” he said.

Apart from the leaders within the party, other political party leaders also slammed the government for targeting opposition parties and its leaders.

Targeting the BJP-led Centre, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the opposition leaders in this country have become the prime target of the BJP.

“While BJP leaders with criminal antecedents are inducted into the cabinet, Opposition leaders are disqualified for their speeches. Today, we have witnessed a new low for our constitutional democracy,” she wrote on Twitter.

Shiv Sena leader and MP Priyanka Chaturvedi too slammed the BJP for targetting Gandhi.

“Vindictive and shameful action against Sh Rahul Gandhi. This disqualification yet again proves that we are living in the times of caged democracy,” she said.

Former Maharashtra cheif minister Uddhav Thackeray said that while thieves and looters still roam free, Gandhi was punished. This is a direct murder of democracy, he said.

“Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy has been cancelled. Calling a thief, a thief has become a crime in our country. Thieves & looters are still free & Rahul Gandhi was punished. This is a direct murder of democracy. All govt systems are under pressure. This is the beginning of the end of dictatorship. Only the fight has to be given direction,” Thackeray told ANI.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema called the disqualification, an unreasonable decision against the democratic provisions. “SAD is against the policies of Rahul Gandhi, however he MPs and MLAs should be given a chance to appeal in the higher court of law before disqualifying them. The law should be same for every one and a system of natural justice be followed”, he said.

Gandhi was convicted on Thursday in a criminal defamation case for his “Modi surname” remark and sentenced to two years of imprisonment by a court in Gujarat’s Surat. A complaint was filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for Ganshi’s alleged remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

The court granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

Gandhi can now only escape immediate disqualification as a member of parliament if the appellate court suspends the conviction and the two-year jail term.

Any elected representative sentenced for any offence for two years or more faces immediate disqualification under the Representation of People Act, 1951. One provision of the Act that granted three-month protection from disqualification was struck down in 2013 as “ultra vires” by the Supreme Court in the Lily Thomas case.