Rahul Gandhi reinstated as Lok Sabha MP
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was restored on Monday after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark on Friday. His return as an MP is expected to intensify the discussion over the no-confidence motion against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which is set to begin on Tuesday.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The SC's stay allowed Gandhi to return as a parliamentarian and contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which his conviction may have prevented. He was disqualified in March after being sentenced to two years in prison over his 2019 remark, "How come all the thieves have Modi surname?" The Congress accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring to remove Gandhi from Parliament.
Twitter Post
Opposition leaders rejoice
#WATCH | I.N.D.I.A alliance leaders celebrate following restoration of Lok Sabha membership of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2023
(Source: AICC) pic.twitter.com/vaVwBcreYM
Details
No-confidence motion debate: Gandhi likely to be key speaker
As soon as the Lok Sabha Secretariat restored Gandhi's membership, the Congress tweeted, "Victory of love against hate." Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the grand old party wants Gandhi to be a key speaker in the debate over the no-confidence motion as he has visited Manipur, which has been witnessing a civil war-like situation for over three months.
SC
Utterances weren't in good taste: SC on Gandhi's statement
While hearing Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction on Friday, the SC said the "utterances were not in good taste" and that a public official is expected to "exercise caution while making public speeches." However, it noted that the Gujarat High Court order upholding his conviction had a "lot of preaching." The Gujarat HC had said "purity in politics" was urgently needed.
Sentence
Disqualification also affects rights of electorate: SC
The SC observed that the trial court that sentenced Gandhi gave no reason for awarding him the maximum sentence, which could have prevented his disqualification from the Parliament. The bench said, "The ramifications of disqualification not just affect the rights of the individual but also the electorate." Notably, several other cases are pending against Gandhi, including one for allegedly defaming freedom fighter VD Savarkar.