Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha; Cong says Indian democracy "Om Shanti" [details]

A day after his conviction in a criminal defamation case, Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha membership on Friday.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat in its notification said, "Consequent upon his conviction by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat..., Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad Parliamentary constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of the lower house from the date of his conviction..."

This order was issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday and was signed by Secretary General, Lok Sabha.

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

Gandhi was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?..." Remark.

Congress fights back

Reacting to the disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the Congress on Friday said that it will fight the battle legally and politically.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, "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."

"The verdict was so unfortunate. We are doing a solidarity march in support of Rahul Gandhi ji all over India. Ever since Rahul Gandhi ji started speaking about the Adani scam, the BJP has purposefully been trying to prevent him from speaking about it," Congress leader KC Venugopal said in a statement.

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(With agency inputs)