Singhvi defends Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, questions fairness of Lok Sabha decision

New Delhi (India), April 29, 2023: The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, following his conviction in the ‘Modi surname case’ a day earlier, has sparked controversy within the Congress party. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has blamed Congress for not filing an appeal against Gandhi’s conviction, despite the presence of distinguished lawyers in the party.

Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi has defended Gandhi, questioning the “validity” and “fairness” of the Lok Sabha secretariat’s decision to dismiss him from his post after only 24 hours. Singhvi questioned whether the decision had been made within the proper legal parameters.

Singhvi also dismissed criticism from the BJP about the Congress’s handling of the situation, saying that it was not a matter of supersonic legal expertise but of following proper legal procedure. Singhvi’s comments came as the hearing against the Surat court order convicting Rahul Gandhi in the ‘Modi surname’ defamation case is underway in the Gujarat high court.

The BJP has accused the Congress of “encashing” Gandhi’s conviction in the Karnataka assembly elections and of failing to challenge the verdict promptly. The ruling party has also argued that Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha is a natural outcome of the law. The controversy surrounding Gandhi’s disqualification has further deepened the political rift between the BJP and the Congress party.