Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday. This information has been given in the order issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. According to the order, Rahul Gandhi, representing the Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala, is ineligible for Lok Sabha membership in view of his conviction in a libel case by a Surat court.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was sentenced on Thursday to two years in prison in a 2019 criminal libel case brought against him for his comment about the ‘surname Modi’. Since this decision, the danger of being disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha loomed over Rahul Gandhi.
Congressional leader after conviction in defamation case #RahulGandhi Big blow to Lok Sabha membership right of appeal pic.twitter.com/km2Est8zPE
— News & Features Network (@newsnetmzn) March 24, 2023
The UN chief’s deputy spokesman, Antonio Guterres, has stated that he is aware that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in prison for a case. He is also aware that the Congress party plans to challenge this decision.
Significantly, Antonia Gutares’ deputy spokesman Farhan Haq was asked at a press conference on Thursday if Gutares was concerned about democracy in India. Haq said: I can say that we are aware of the news related to the Rahul Gandhi case. We know that his party plans to appeal against the verdict. That’s all I can say at this time.
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Verma convicted Gandhi under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. However, the court also granted Rahul Gandhi bail and suspended his sentence for 30 days so that congressional leaders could challenge his decision in a higher court.
My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to achieve it.
– Mahatma Gandhi
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 23, 2023
After being sentenced, Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s lines and said that for him truth is God. He tweeted: My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence is the means to achieve it – Mahatma Gandhi.
I am fighting for the voice of India.
I am willing to pay any cost.
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 24, 2023