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‘Whatever time left…’: Kharge's advice to Modi govt as Rahul Gandhi is back as Lok Sabha MP
Mallikarjun Kharge distributed sweets among leaders of the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. during a meeting in his chamber ahead of the Parliament proceedings.
Soon after Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday distributed sweets among leaders of the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. during a meeting in his chamber ahead of the commencement of the House proceedings.
In a tweet, Kharge said, “The decision to reinstate Shri @RahulGandhi as an MP is a welcome step. It brings relief to the people of India, and especially to Wayanad. Whatever time is left of their tenure, BJP and Modi Govt should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating Democracy by targeting opposition leaders."
The Lok Sabha secretariat issued a notification announcing that his disqualification has been revoked and his membership restored. Senior Congress leaders and party workers hailed Gandhi's reinstatement, saying it is a victory of truth and justice.
Celebrations broke out at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi with workers dancing and raising slogans in favour of the former Congress president.
AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said, "Democracy has won! India wins".
"Sh. @RahulGandhi ji will continue his parliamentary journey by speaking the truth without any hesitation. He is the voice of India, he can never be silenced," he said.
Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said, "Welcome decision. Conspiracy defeated. RG returns."
Reacting to the development, Congress' deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari said, "Truth has triumphed, and lies has been defeated. INDIA has won, our lion Rahul Gandhi has won, Modi Ji, your defeat has begun."
In a tweet, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of @RahulGandhi's reinstatement. He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad. A victory for justice and for our democracy!"
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi also hailed Gandhi's reinstatement as Lok Sabha MP. Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member on March 23 after a Gujarat court convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years in jail.
The 53-year-old Congress party leader was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in March in a case that critics flagged as an effort to stifle political opposition in the world's largest democracy.
The conviction stemmed from a remark made during the 2019 election campaign when Gandhi had asked why “all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname”.
His comments were portrayed as a slur against the prime minister and against all those with the same surname, which is associated with the lower rungs of India's caste hierarchy.
Anyone sentenced to a custodial term of two years or more is ineligible to sit in Parliament, forcing Gandhi's expulsion from the body in March.
He was turfed out of Parliament as a result but stayed out of jail while appealing the case at the Supreme Court in New Delhi.
