Rahul disqualification startling, country passing through tough phase, says Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Following the disqualification of Congress MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal termed the disqualification 'startling', other AAP leaders said that the government and the BJP are working overtime to finish the opposition and intend to put all opposition leaders in prison.

“Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha is startling. Country is passing through a tough phase. These people have scared the entire country. All 130 crore citizens need to unite against their arrogant Government,” Kejriwal tweeted.

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“BJP has only one mission; eliminate the entire opposition, send all leaders of opposition parties to jail and get them convicted. Get them declared ineligible to contest any poll. The BJP is into all these things round the clock. It is said that the Prime Minister just sleeps for four or two hours. We don’t know what he does when he is awake,” AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was disqualified a day after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

The court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail based on a defamation case filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remark. Following his disqualification, the Congress leader would not be able to contest elections for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction and sentence.

Criticizing the BJP and the government, Delhi health minister and chief national spokesperson of the AAP Saurabh Bhardwaj said Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified under pressure from the Centre.

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“We have been saying that if the government suppresses the opposition, who will raise the issues of the common man? Who will flag the issue of inflation or unemployment? Who will question the Centre? Opposition is stifled in the Parliament on occasions; they are not allowed to speak. Cases are registered in states in trivial matters. Cases are fast-tracked and opposition leaders are convicted. In these conditions, only the PM should contest elections. The BJP should decide that only it would only contest elections. There will be no opposition,” said Bhardwaj.  

The minister further said that the Centre would not succeed in throttling the Opposition.

“Arrest of Delhi minister Manish Sisodia has united 14 opposition parties. They have now approached the Supreme Court against misuse of agencies…. We condemn the move (disqualification of Rahul Gandhi). Countdown of the central government has begun. This (disqualification) suggests that the government is nervous,” said Bhardwaj.