Rahul disqualification: Why no 'lightning speed' action against convicted BJP MP? asks Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (April 5) lashed out at the Centre for allegedly not taking any action against a Gujarat MP convicted in a criminal case with the same “lighting speed” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha.

Kharge was referring to BJP’s Amreli MP Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadia, who was awarded a three-year jail term by a court. Kachhadia’s conviction was later quashed by the Supreme Court.

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Rahul was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on March 24, a day after a Surat court convicted him a criminal defamation case and sentenced him to two years in prison.

Accusing the Centre of double standards, Kharge said the Gujarat MP was allowed to attend the Parliament but a person who speaks the truth has been kept out of Parliament.

“The height of the Modi government’s hypocrisy and double standards – a BJP MP from Gujarat is awarded a three-year imprisonment by a local court, sessions court and high court but there was no disqualification till 16 days. But Rahul Gandhi was disqualified with lightning speed,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.

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He said one can see who is getting relief and who is getting punished under the Modi regime.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also written to Speaker Om Birla seeking a discussion on Rahul’s disqualification.

Rahul on April 3 was granted bail by a sessions court in Surat. The court will hear on April 13 his plea for a stay of his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case.

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(With inputs from agencies)