Rahul Gandhi No Longer An MP, disqualified by Lok Sabha after Surat court verdict

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction by a Surat court in the criminal defamation case on March 23 over his ‘Modi surname’ remark.

Gandhi “stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha”, parliament said, referring to the lower house of parliament.

His disqualification as Wayanad MP is effective from March 23, the day of his conviction, the secretariat said in its notification.

Reacting to the disqualification, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We are not going to be afraid or silent. Instead of the JPC, Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified in the Adani scam related to the Prime Minister. Indian Democracy Om Shanti.

Gandhi was convicted Thursday in a criminal defamation case for his “Modi surname” remarks and sentenced to two years of imprisonment. The court granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court. A complaint was filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

The BJP has said the conviction has come from an independent judiciary after Mr Gandhi insulted the OBC community with his ‘thief’ remark.

The Congress has described the judgment as politically motivated and blamed the government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).