Page 4 - The Indian EYE 040323

BIG STORY APRIL 03, 2023 | The Indian Eye 4

RAHUL GANDHI

END of THE ROAD?

The Congress leader is expelled from Parliament after a Surat sentences him to
two years imprisonment in a defamation case. The verdict opens a slugfest between

the Congress and BJP. What is next for the Gandhi scion?

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi/Surat

n a major development Congress
leader Rahul Gandhi has been
Idisqualified as a Member of Lok
Sabha (MP) from the date of his con-
viction in the criminal defamation
case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark,
March 23.
Rahul Gandhi was an MP from
the seat of Wayanad in Kerala.
This comes after the Surat court on
Thursday, sentenced Congress lead-
er Rahul Gandhi to two years impris-
onment in a defamation case over
his ‘Modi surname’ remark made in
2019 during an election rally in Kar-
nataka.

Rahul Gandhi made the “how
come all the thieves have Modi
as the common surname” re-
mark in April 2019, at a Lok Rahul Gandhi waves as he arrives at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in New Delhi after being convicted by a court in Surat ANI)

Sabha election rally at Kolar in His tweet followed his disqualifica- he can challenge his conviction at a Addressing a press conference at
Karnataka. tion as a Lok Sabha MP earlier on higher court. the party headquarters in the nation-
Friday. The disqualification came in Meanwhile, the Congress on Fri- al capital, Congress national spokes-
The criminal defamation case the wake of Rahul’s conviction by day came down heavily on the Centre person Abhishek Manu Singhvi and
against Rahul Gandhi was filed by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation over Rahul’s disqualification as a Lok senior leader Jairam Ramesh lashed
BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh case on Thursday. Sabha member, calling it a “strangu- out at the Centre over the disquali-
Modi. The disqualified Congress MP lation of democracy” while exuding fication of the former national party
Reacting to his disqualification was sentenced to two years in prison confidence that the disqualification president.
as a member of the Lok Sabha, Con- following his conviction for a remark will be revoked through a stay on his Earlier on Thursday, in a dra-
gress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday using the surname ‘Modi’ at a cam- conviction by a higher court. matic judgment, a Surat court had
said he was fighting to restore the paign event for the 2019 Lok Sabha The party alleged that Rahul’s sentenced Congress leader Rahul
country’s voice and will pay any price polls, in Karnataka. disqualification is part of a “pat- Gandhi to two years imprisonment
to do so. However, the court later ap- tern” to stop him from speaking out in a defamation case filed against
“I am fighting for the voice of proved his bail on a surety of Rs against the Central government and him over his ‘Modi surname’ remark
India and am ready to pay any price 15,000 while suspending his sentence also an attempt to divert public at- made in 2019 during an election rally
(for it),” Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. for a period of 30 days during which tention from real issues. Continued on next page... >>

www.TheIndianEYE.com