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'Targetted for questioning Modi-Adani links...' Congress protests Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

Reacting to Gandhi's disqualification, the Congress said it will fight the battle both "legally and politically"

Targetted for questioning Modi-Adani links Congress protests Rahul Gandhi's disqualification
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First Published Mar 24, 2023, 4:06 PM IST

Congress party is crying foul over the disqualification of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from the membership of Lok Sabha a day after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 criminal defamation case. Reacting to Gandhi's disqualification, the Congress said it would fight the battle both "legally and politically".

"Today's decision is the final nail in the Indian democracy's coffin, hammered by the BJP-RSS under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi has been targetted ever since he made his speech against Prime Minister Modi, exposing his links with Gautam Adani. This is nothing but an outcome of that. But if the BJP thinks this will weaken Rahul Gandhi, they are wrong. Rahul Gandhi will only emerge stronger. He is a leader who walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, unifying India and rallying India behind the tricolour. Therefore, I am confident that Rahul Gandhi will emerge stronger from this, and the Congress party is ready to take the battle to every street, every nook and corner because we will not allow democracy to be ended the way Prime Minister Modi intends to do," said Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who is also Deputy Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha.

Another Congress leader, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, termed the disqualification as a designed project of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. 

"The day Rahul Gandhi raised questions on Adani against the Prime Minister, that is when they started this type of conspiracy to silence the voice of Rahul Gandhi. As per the tradition and the rules, there is a custom to give the concerned member a chance to give a clarification statement. That also they never allowed. This is a clear case of the anti-democratic dictatorial attitude of the BJP government. They are now putting Rahul Gandhi in a 'chakravyuh', cornering him from all sides," he said.

Earlier today, Lok Sabha Secretariat, in a notification, announced the Wayanad MP's disqualification effective from March 23, the day of his conviction. "Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat...Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March 2023," the notification read.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, "We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani MahaMegaScam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti."

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said he was stunned by the action against Gandhi and by its rapidity. "This is politics with the gloves off, and it bodes ill for our democracy," Tharoor said in a tweet.

Also Read: Who is Purnesh Modi, whose complaint sentenced Rahul Gandhi to 2 years in jail?

Also Read: 'No change in Rahul Gandhi's conduct...' Surat court's 168-page verdict

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi disqualified as Member of Lok Sabha after Surat court sentencing in defamation case

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