A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament, the party plans to go all out with its nationwide agitation programme. The Congress alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government acted with lighting speed to “gag” Rahul as he has been raising his voice against the Adani issue, China's incursions at the border and more.
The Congress has called the Surat court's conviction "erroneous and unsustainable" and will challenge it in a higher court. Rahul was sentenced to two years in jail by the court in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.
The Congress' state units and frontal organisations will launch programmes across the country and they will begin from Monday with a countrywide 'Jan Andolan'. Several state units have already been organising protests since the Surat court judgment.
In Delhi, the Indian Youth Congress members raised slogans against Modi and burnt his effigy. In Jharkhand, activists of the Indian Youth Congress and the BJP's youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Friday clashed following protests over Rahul Gandhi losing his Lok Sabha membership. The Congress also held protests in Madhya Pradesh on Friday with state unit chief Kamal Nath asserting the step was taken as the Modi government was afraid of the Gandhi scion.
Wayanad bypoll soon?
The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, which fell vacant after Rahul was disqualified as MP, may witness a bypoll. It is now up to the Election Commission of India to announce bypoll dates.
According to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, bypoll to a vacant seat has to be held within six months from the date of vacancy. While conviction Rahul, the Surat court granted him a month's time to challenge the order in a higher court. However, the EC need not consider this, according to reports.
Legal experts say Rahul will have to approach a higher court quickly before the EC steps in. Senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association(SCBA) President Vikas Singh said Rahul will have to get suspension of the sentence and the stay of conviction to get his Lok Sabha membership revived before the Election Commission comes into the picture and announces a by-election in Wayanad.
-with agency inputs
