‘Victory for justice & democracy’: Mallikarjun Kharge, Shashi Tharoor on Rahul Gandhi’s return as MP

The decision to reinstate Shri @RahulGandhi as an MP is a welcome step.

It brings relief to the people of India, and especially to Wayanad.

Whatever time is left of their tenure, BJP and Modi Govt should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than… pic.twitter.com/kikcZqfFvn

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 7, 2023

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor welcomed the development, calling it a “victory for justice and our democracy”.

“With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi’s reinstatement,” Tharoor wrote in a tweet. “He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad,” he added.

With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of @RahulGandhi’s reinstatement. He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad. A victory for justice and for our democracy!@INCIndia @ProfCong

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 7, 2023

INDIA bloc leaders celebrated Gandhi’s reinstatement with sweets, and celebrations were underway outside 10 Janpath, Sonia Gandhi’s residence in Delhi.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly Vijay Wadettiwar went on to hail the move and said this has strengthened the opposition bloc, while Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha member Arwind Sawant welcomed Gandhi’s return to Lok Sabha, terming the Supreme Court order a “tight slap against the conspiracy of the government”.

“The country’s freedom is in danger. We welcome Gandhi’s return to the Lok Sabha. The Supreme Court’s decision is a tight slap against the conspiracy of the government,” Sawant said, reported PTI.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray congratulated Gandhi online, and wrote “We will continue to fight for truth, democracy and the constitution!” in Marathi.

. @RahulGandhi, अभिनंदन! न्यायाच्या मार्गाने पुन्हा एकदा लोकसभेत जाण्याचा तुमचा मार्ग मोकळा झाला.

आपल्या देशासाठी आणि सत्यासाठी लढणाऱ्यांना गप्प करण्याच्या कारवाया सारं जग पाहत आहे. असल्या कृत्यांमुळे भारताची बदनामी होत असून आम्ही ह्या दडपशाही विरोधात लढा देत राहू!

आम्ही…

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 7, 2023

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi spoke to ANI and said, “Speaker took the decision today. We followed the legal process and immediately after receiving the Supreme Court’s order, we restored it.”

BJP leader Sushil Modi, however, added “He (Rahul Gandhi) is still not ‘blame free’, only his conviction has been stayed. His appeal is still pending in court… This is a common procedure… The Supreme Court has also said that ‘it (Rahul Gandhi’s comment) was not in good taste’.”

Last week, the Supreme Court had stayed his conviction in a criminal defamation case, paving the way for the restoration of his Lok Sabha membership. Rahul represents Wayanad in the upper house.