NI Bureau
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been reinstated as a member of parliament today, following a temporary suspension of his conviction in a criminal defamation case related to his comment about the ‘Modi surname.’ Mr. Gandhi has resumed his seat in the Lok Sabha, representing his constituency Wayanad. This development comes at a time when the parliament has been witnessing frequent disruptions due to the demand from the opposition bloc INDIA for a dedicated discussion on violence in Manipur, which was preceded by a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same issue.
Upon his reinstatement, the Congress party has expressed its intention to have Rahul Gandhi play a significant role in the upcoming debate on a no-confidence motion that is likely to be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member on March 24, effective from March 23, after a court in Gujarat convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years in jail. Any sentence of two years or more automatically results in disqualification as a lawmaker.
Leaders of the INDIA alliance were seen celebrating this development with sweets. The Congress party shared the official notification from the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Twitter, describing it as a “Victory of love against hate.” Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor hailed it as “a victory for justice and for our democracy.”
“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!” he tweeted.
The Supreme Court, while granting a stay on Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, acknowledged that his remarks were in poor taste, but emphasized that his disqualification from parliament would negatively impact his constituents. The court noted that the trial judge had imposed the maximum sentence of two years, and if the sentence had been even a day shorter, it wouldn’t have led to disqualification as an MP. The judges stated that the repercussions of disqualification go beyond the individual’s rights and affect the electorate.
Mr. Gandhi was disqualified in May after receiving a two-year jail term in a defamation case stemming from his comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname. In a rally before the 2019 general election, Mr. Gandhi had quipped, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”
Following the Supreme Court’s reprieve, Mr. Gandhi, who has consistently refused to apologize, tweeted, “Come what may, my duty remains the same. Protect the idea of India.”
There are several other criminal defamation cases pending against Mr. Gandhi, including a “high-profile case of mudslinging the venerable Veer Savarkar,” filed by the freedom fighter’s family, according to a tweet by BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya.
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, Rahul Gandhi maintained that he has always asserted his innocence and deemed the “conviction unsustainable.” He also mentioned that if he had to apologize and admit the offense, he would have done so earlier. Rahul Gandhi has challenged the trial court’s ruling in the Surat Sessions court, where the appeal is pending.
