Rahul Gandhi’s affidavit challenged in Amethi, scrutiny now set for tomorrow

It has been alleged that Rahul made false declaration in his affidavit about his educational qualification. The complainants also raised objections about Rahul’s identity, with one claiming that Rahul held shares in a company named Backops Ltd, Britain

The BJP spokesman said inquiries show that one Rahul Vincy and not Rahul Gandhi got the degree that particular year.(Express Photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

District magistrate Ram Manohar Mishra, who is also the returning officer, postponed the scrutiny of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s nomination papers from Amethi to Monday after objections were raised alleging false information in his election affidavit.

The order (a copy of it is with The Indian Express) states, “When the name of Rahul Gandhi was called for scrutiny, objections were raised by Afzal Waris, Dhuvra Lal Manohar and Suresh Kumar Shukla, all residents of Amethi, and Suresh Chandra, a resident of New Delhi. It further states that Rahul Kaushik, advocate of Gandhi, has sought time to counter the above objections.

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“On April 22, at 10:30am hearing will take place on these objections,” states the order by the district returning officer. It has been alleged that Gandhi made false declaration in his affidavit about his educational qualification. According to the complainants, he did Bachelor of Arts from Rollins College in Florida in 1994, but didn’t declare it in his 2004 affidavit. Gandhi also stated in his affidavit that he did M.Phil from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, in 1995. However, the complainants claimed he actually got his degree in 2004-2005.

The complainants also raised objections about Gandhi’s identity, alleging that the Cambridge degree mentions his name as “Raul Vinci” and not “Rahul Gandhi”. Raising an objection over his nationality, complainant Dhuvra Lal Manohar alleged that, in 2004, Gandhi declared that he held shares in a company named Backops Ltd, Britain. He further claimed that in the annual return of the company records, Gandhi’s nationality is mentioned as “British” and address as “the United Kingdom”.

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Complainant Afzal Warsi raised an objection over purchase of stamp paper for the nomination papers from New Delhi. According to him, Gandhi’s papers should be rejected as the stamp paper should have been purchased from in and around Amethi as the papers have been filed before the returning officer of that particular area.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Deepak Singh, Congress MLC, said, “There is no strength in their objections as the same were raised during previous Lok Sabha elections as well and each time they were rejected because of lack of strength and basis. Same will happen this year as well.”

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Citing the complaints, BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao in a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi Saturday, said, “It is a matter of great surprise that the objections that have been raised regarding Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship have not been answered.” Rao said that Gandhi must come clean on the matter.

“The nation is desperate to know the truth. We will look forward to the revelations. He cannot get away from because these have been asked by a constitutional authority as part of the scrutiny of his application,” Rao added.