Rahul Gandhi Disqualified LIVE: Congress to Hold ‘Satyagraha’ Across Country, BJP Claims Oppn Leader Trying to Become ‘Martyr’

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Raj Ghat in Delhi.

Announcing the ‘Satyagraha’, the Congress alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s conviction and disqualification were done in reaction to his consistently questioning the relationship between PM Narendra Modi and businessman Gautam Adani, which poses a serious threat to the world’s largest democracy.

The party said that disqualified member of Parliament is not alone and “millions of congressmen and people irrespective of their political affiliations will join him in this fight for truth and justice. To this end, all Pradesh Congress Committees have been asked to organise a one-day Satyagraha in front of Gandhi statues in all State and District Headquarters from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday.

The top Congress leadership also went into a huddle once again at the party headquarters In Delhi with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, along with the two chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel.

Rahul Gandhi Holds 1st Presser After Disqualification from Lok Sabha

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi held his first press conference on Saturday a day after he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha over his conviction in a four-year-old defamation case. Addressing media, the Congress leader said that democracy is under attack and that he is “not scared to ask questions about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group”.

“My voice is being suppressed,” Rahul Gandhi said and claimed that he spoke to the Speaker against the false accusations made by four ministers but was not allowed to speak. He also alleged that the “relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani is not new”.

“I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies,” he added.

Asked if he would apologise for his remarks, the Congress leader said that he was not Veer Savarkar and will not apologise. “I am a Gandhi and not Savarkar and Gandhis do not apologise,” he said at a press conference here a day after his expulsion from Parliament following his conviction in a defamation case.

The former Wayanad MP also thanked the opposition for the support and said his disqualification will be a weapon against the Narendra Modi-led Central government. “I am happy that they have given the best gift ever.”

He went on to say that the “country has given me love and respect” and alleged that his disqualification is because the Prime Minister is scared of his next speech in Parliament.

The senior leader further said that he will continue doing his work and that it does “not matter if I am inside the Parliament or not. I will keep fighting for the country”.

The former Congress president also said that he would write to the people of the Wayanad constituency to allay their apprehensions.

BJP’s Reaction

After Rahul Gandhi said that he will not apologise to anyone, BJP leader and former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Congress leader is trying to become a “martyr”.

Speaking to media persons in Patna, Prasad said: “Congress party could have obtained a stay on the decision of Surat court. They have deliberately not obtained the stay order to utilise the issue during the Karnataka assembly election. He is trying to become a martyr…”

“Rahul Gandhi did the press conference in Delhi in a well planned manner. He wants to present himself sacrificial and take benefit in the Karnataka assembly election,” the BJP leader asserted.

“The Congress party has a number of prominent lawyers. Why they did not obtain the stay. Today, Rahul Gandhi has again told a lie that he had not said anything in London… When his party wins election, Rahul Gandhi thinks the Election Commission is genuine and when he loses, the Election Commission becomes bad,” Prasad said.

Rahul Gandhi’s Conviction and Disqualification

Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in the Modi surname defamation case. The Gandhi scion who represents the Wayanad parliamentary constituency of Kerala was disqualified under provisions of Article 102 (1) (e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People’s Act.

Rahul was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark. The case against Rahul was filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

Plea Filed in SC Challenging Representation of People Act

Following Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, Former Lakshadweep MP PP Mohammed Faisal moved the Supreme Court against Loksabha Secretariat for not revoking his disqualification.

Faisal was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail on January 11. Two days later, he was disqualified from the Lower House of Parliament. Though the Kerala High Court stayed his conviction on 25 January, the Election Commission had announced by-polls in his constituency. Faisal reached the Supreme Court which stayed the EC order.

Subsequently, the Union Law Ministry recommended his reinstatement following which the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP is awaiting the Lok Sabha Speaker’s nod to attend Parliament.

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