Rahul Gandhi Disqualified From Lok Sabha Following Conviction In 'Modi Surname' Remark Case

Rahul Gandhi Disqualified: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case

File Photo of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament earlier this month.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark i.e. March 23. The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification on Friday in this regard.

Rahul Gandhi - Congress MP from Wayanad, Kerala - disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha following his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. pic.twitter.com/SQ1xzRZAot

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2023

"Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat in C.C./18712/2019, Shri 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 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951," the notification by the Lok Sabha Secretariat reads.

The Congress Party reacted to the development saying that it will fight the battle "both legally and politically."

"We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani MahaMegaScam, @RahulGandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti," the party's General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter.

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 MahaMegaScam, @RahulGandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/d8GmZjUqd5

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) March 24, 2023

Both BJP and Congress indulged in fresh attacks as BJP President JP Nadda on Friday remarked: "By comparing OBC communities to thieves, Rahul Gandhi has shown a pathetic and casteist mindset. However, his latest tirade is not surprising. For the last many years, he has always reduced levels of political discourse."

In a hindi tweet, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge refuted Nadda's allegation that Rahul Gandhi compared OBC communities to thieves and accused the ruling party of indulging in "caste politics".

A court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in the case filed against him over his "Modi surname" remarks. The court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma held 52-year-old Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500.