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Journalism of Courage
As the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, an elated Congress on Friday called for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP without any delay and projected the apex court’s decision as a victory of democracy and the Constitution.
Soon after the court order, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met Speaker Om Birla and urged him to restore Gandhi’s membership. The Speaker told Chowdhury that he would take a call once his office received the order from the Supreme Court.
While the Congress was jubilant, its allies – from AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to DMK leader M K Stalin and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav – hailed the verdict, saying it has reinforced people’s trust in the democracy and the judicial system. On his part, Gandhi said he knew that truth would prevail.
“Truth always triumphs, if not today then tomorrow or the day after. My path is clear. There is clarity in my mind on what I should do and what my job is…,” Gandhi said in brief comments at a press conference at the AICC headquarters.
Earlier, he said in a Twitter post: “Come what may, my duty remains the same. Protect the idea of India.”
Also present at the press conference were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chowdhury, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, senior lawyer and Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi and Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh.
Kharge said Gandhi was disqualified as an MP within 24 hours after the Gujarat court verdict. “Now let us see in how many hours he is reinstated,” he said. “This judgment has come from Delhi… The distance between the Supreme Court and Parliament is hardly a kilometre… So I hope he is reinstated perhaps by night… whether it is done today… how much time it will take… we have to see…We will await his (Speaker’s) order.”
Welcoming the decision, Kharge said the Constitution is alive and this is an example that one can get justice. “This is the victory of the common people. This is not just Gandhi’s victory, this is the victory of all the people of the country, victory of democracy and of constitutional principles,” he said.
“The person who fights for truth, for the country’s interest, to strengthen the country, for the youth of the country, against rising prices, the person who fights and makes people aware, who walked 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and met various people, I think their prayers are with us and it is therefore victory of the people,” Kharge said, referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Later, in a Twitter post, Kharge said, “Justice has been delivered. Democracy has won. The Constitution has been upheld. BJP’s conspiratorial hounding of Gandhi has been thoroughly exposed. Time for them to stop their malicious targeting of Opposition leaders. It is high time they respect the mandate given by the people and start governing the country, on which they have miserably failed in the last 10 years.”
At the press conference, Singhvi said, “When the foundation is gone, the building cannot survive. Rahul Gandhi’s exit from Parliament and indeed eviction from his house is purely consequential based upon his conviction. Now that the highest court of this land has stayed his conviction, the fundamental basis of the disqualification and, therefore, the exit from Parliament or from the house vanishes. There has to be political grace and large heartedness. If you took 24 hours to evict him… please at least take 48 hours to restore the status quo ante.”
Asked what will the Congress do if he is not reinstated, Singhvi said, “I hope and trust that I would not have to do what I did in the case of Lakshadweep MP Mohammad Faizal. I had to file a petition to restore his entry into Parliament which on the day it was moved… led to the Government coming and saying that we are going to do it in one day.”
Chowdhury, who met Speaker Birla and urged him to restore Gandhi’s membership, told The Indian Express, “I met the Speaker and urged him to restore the membership of Rahul Gandhi since the Supreme Court has stayed his conviction. I told him that we would like Gandhi to speak on the no-confidence motion next week. In fact, he can be the lead speaker.”
The Speaker, he said, told him: “Kam se kam court se toh paper aane dijiye. Uske baad karavai karenge. (Let the court papers come then we will take action). We will sit on Monday and decide.”
Leaders of the Opposition’s INDIA alliance welcomed the apex court decision.
“I welcome Hon’ble Supreme Court’s intervention in an unjust defamation case against Rahul Gandhi ji. It reinforces people’s trust in Indian democracy and the judicial system,” said Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. “Congratulations to him and to the people of Wayanad,” he said, referring to Gandhi’s constituency in Kerala.
“Justice prevails! Wayanad retains Rahul Gandhi. Welcome the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s decision staying the conviction of dear brother Thiru Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case. This decision reaffirms our belief in the strength of our judiciary and the importance of safeguarding democratic values,” posted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Twitter.
“I am happy with the news about the MP-ship of Rahul Gandhi. This will further strengthen the resolve of the INDIA alliance to unitedly fight for our motherland and win. A victory of the judiciary!,” said West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee.
NCP leader Supriya Sule said: “In the pursuit of truth, the essence of Satyamev Jayate resonates once more. The unwavering voice of truth shall never be subdued. The Hon’ble Supreme Court’s decision on Rahul Gandhi Ji’s case is a herald of justice, warmly embraced. A hearty welcome back to Parliament…Rahul Gandhi.”
