‘Strangulation of democracy’: Congress criticises govt over Rahul’s disqualification

The Congress party on Friday lashed out at the Centre over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member, calling it a ‘strangulation of democracy.’ However, Congress leaders are confident that the disqualification will be revoked through a stay of his conviction by a higher court.

The party clarified its stance that the Congress leader’s disqualification is pre-planned programme to stop him from speaking against the Central government to divert the public’s attention from real issues.

Earlier, Gandhi was disqualified as an MP of the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after his conviction by the Surat court in a defamation case for his statement using the ‘Modi surname’ during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.

During a press conference at the party headquarters in Delhi, Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi and senior leader Jairam Ramesh slammed the Centre regarding the disqualification of former MP of Wayanad. They said that the matter is more political than legal. His disqualification is against democracy.

Singhvi went on to say that Rahul Gandhi has been speaking fearlessly outside or inside Parliament. It is the murder of freedom of speech. The government has been applying a new method to choke Rahul Gandhi’s voice.

Jairam Ramesh said that Rahul Gandhi speaks clearly on China or GST issues, so he is aggressive in asking his questions. Therefore, this government wants to stifle his voice.

Singhvi added that Rahul will emerge victorious in the higher court in the defamation case. We have faith in the law, so we are confident we will come out victorious in the coming days.