RaGa’s return huge boost for opposition before Tuesday’s No Confidence Motion

Prakhar Dobhal, Pune

It was celebration time for the Congress as the Lok Sabha commenced today. After getting his MP status reinstated, Rahul Gandhi made his way back to the house, praying before Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. Days after the Supreme Court put on hold his conviction in a 2019 defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remarks. As he entered the building, numerous members of the Opposition party gave him a warm greeting. Mr. Gandhi was suspended from the Lok Sabha on March 23, after a Gujarat court found him guilty of defamation regarding his comments about the “Modi surname,” sentencing him to two years in prison.

The punishment serves as an automatic disqualification for a Member of Parliament. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the decision, commenting,’’ Whatever time is left of their tenure, the BJP and Modi government should utilize that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating democracy by targeting opposition leaders.”

The Gujarat High Court had earlier rejected the Congress leader’s petition last month to put his conviction on hold. On August 4, the Supreme Court stayed Rahul Gandhi’s conviction.  Further stating that the trial judge of a Surat court had not given enough evidence to impose the two-year maximum penalty.

The case was filed by former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi over the “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remark made by Mr.Gandhi in an election rally on April 13^th, 2019 in Kolar, Karnataka. He was disqualified after a Surat court verdict convicted him on March 23rd of this year, sentencing him to the two-year maximum punishment. The plea in session court to pause the conviction was rejected as the court agreed to hear his challenge. The court, though, granted him bail on April 20^th.

Mr. Gandhi’s return gives the opposition a much-needed boost prior to Tuesday’s no-confidence motion against the government. Though the NDA’s enormous majority ensures an easy pass, the opposition will look to raise the Manipur issue and force the Prime Minister to address the issue.