New Delhi: There is a concern in the Congress that the restoration of former party chief Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership may not be as quick and smooth as his disqualification was. The former Wayanad MP’s Lok Sabha membership was taken away on March 24, a day after a Surat trial court had convicted him on March 23 in a 2019 criminal defamation case involving the surname of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sentenced him to a two-year jail term.
Within days of losing the MP status, Rahul Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, was asked to vacate the official 12, Tughlak Lane bungalow allotted to him since 2004 by the Lok Sabha housing committee. After a long legal battle, the former Congress chief’s conviction was stayed by the Supreme Court on August 4.
The party leaders now expect that restoration of his Lok Sabha membership should be quick, just like the disqualification, so Rahul can speak in the no-confidence motion debate next week, but are concerned that politics may step in to delay the matter further.
According to Congress leaders, the delay may happen on the pretext of seeking the opinion of some experts or the law ministry as the BJP has said that the SC order was not final and that Rahul was still on thin ice.
“Just as we have faith in courts and justice, we have faith in democracy. That hope and trust remains for a couple more days. Ultimately, if that is belied and betrayed, then our only option as a citizen… a law-abiding citizen with faith in the justice system… we have to go to court again,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told ETV Bharat.
Technically, the restoration of Rahul’s membership has to be done by the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, but it won’t take place without the approval of the political establishment, feel party leaders.
“Rahulji should be in the Lok Sabha during the no-confidence motion debate but I don’t know if that will happen or not. The membership restoration should happen quickly as per the rules but the BJP’s view is you show me the person and I will show you the rule,” AICC general secretary Rajni Patil said.
According to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Rahul’s conviction and sentencing for two-years, which took away his House membership, had come weeks after the former Member of Parliament had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned his alleged links with businessman Gautam Adani while speaking in the Lok Sabha in February.
"We had been missing our dear leader in the Parliament. We want him to be back in the House as early as possible. We want him to speak during the non-confidence motion debate next week. The restoration of his membership should happen on Monday August 7 itself. Once that happens, he will get the other entitlements including an official bungalow as well,” Chowdhury said.
“Rahul has emerged as the leader of the Opposition, who raises people’s issues in Parliament. The BJP is worried over his questioning the government but our leader is fearless. We had to bring the no-confidence motion as the Prime Minister was not saying anything on the Manipur crisis. The Prime Minister should have gone there to appeal for peace. Instead Rahulji had to do that,” added Chowdhury, who represents the Berhampore constituency in the Lower House of Parliament.
