Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the CBI was “putting pressure” on him to “frame” Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an alleged fake encounter case in Gujarat when he was being questioned by the probe agency during the Congress-led UPA government.Shah said this at the ‘News 18 Rising India’ programme in New Delhi in response to a question on Opposition’s charge that the Narendra Modi government is “misusing’ central agencies to target them.The CBI “was putting pressure” on me to “frame Modi ji” (when he was Gujarat CM) in an alleged fake encounter case during the Congress government,” he said, adding that the BJP never raised a ruckus despite this.On Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a criminal defamation case by a court in Surat, the home minister said the Congress leader was not the only politician who was convicted by a court and lost membership of the legislature.Instead of moving to a higher court, Rahul has been trying to create hue and cry and blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his fate, he said.Shah said Rahul Gandhi should go to a higher court to fight his case, instead of trying to put the blame on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.He said the Congress is spreading misconception; conviction can’t be stayed. “The sentence can be stayed if the court decides,” he said.“He has not appealed to take stay on his conviction. What kind of arrogance is this? You want a favour. You want to continue to be MP and will also not go before the Court,” Shah said.Where does such arrogance gets generated, he said.Shah said 17 prominent leaders, including Lalu Prasad, J Jayalalitha and Raashid Alvi, had lost their membership because of a 2013 Supreme Court order during the UPA government, which said an elected representative would lose his seat immediately after conviction. Still, no one protested wearing black clothes because it is the “law of the land”, he said.“Listen to the full speech of Rahul Gandhi, he has not only spoken abusive words for Modi ji. He has spoken abusive words for the entire Modi community and OBC society,” he said.“The law of the land is clear. There is no question of vendetta politics. It is the judgment of the Supreme Court of India, which had come during their government,” Shah said.Asked about the notice to vacate his bungalow, Shah asked why should there be “special favour” when the Supreme Court had said to act as soon as the conviction comes into effect.“It was a deliberate statement by Rahul Gandhi. If Rahul Gandhi did not want to apologise, then he should not have applied for bail. Let him not apologise,” Shah said.“This gentleman is not the first one. Politicians who held much bigger positions and with much more experience have lost their membership because of this provision,” the Home minister said.He said India’s democracy wasn’t threatened when Lalu ji was disqualified but it is endangered only when a person from the Gandhi family is disqualified.“Now it has come on him, so they are saying make a separate law for the Gandhi family. I want to ask the people of this country whether there should be a separate law for a single family. What kind of mentality is this? Whatever happens, they start blaming Modi ji and the Lok Sabha Speaker,” Shah said.He said senior lawyers who are Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha should tell their colleagues that Lok Sabha Speaker has no role in the disqualification.“It is the law of the country that all his speeches in Parliament would have to be erased from the records from the moment of his conviction. Even if his disqualification notice were served a few days later, it would have no purpose,” he said.Shah said BJP did not want changes in the Supreme Court order. The Manmohan Singh government brought an Ordinance to blunt the apex court order, but Rahul Gandhi tore it apart, calling it “nonsense”.“Once he tore it apart, who in his government would have dared to turn it into law? It was vetoed. Had that ordinance become a law, he could have been saved,” Shah said.Asked about Rahul’s comment on Savarkar, the Home Minister said Veer Savarkar was the only freedom fighter who was sentenced to two life terms in Andaman prison. “Such language for such a freedom fighter should not have been used,” he said.He (Rahul) should read his grandmother’s speech on Veer Savarkar. His own party people are advising him to not speak against Savarkar, he said.In the general election of 2024, Shah said Modi would again be PM with a larger majority. BJP will get more seats in the 2024 elections than 2019 elections, he said, adding that there is no unity among the opposition, he said.On the upcoming Karnataka elections, Shah said BJP would comfortably cross the halfway mark and form a government with a clear majority in the state.Ruling out any alliance in Karnataka, Shah said, “The BJP will definitely cross the halfway mark and form the government with an absolute majority in Karnataka. We will win record mandate.” Referring to recent Karnataka government’s decision to end quota on the basis of religion, he said reservation based on religion is unconstitutional.“Karnataka’s Congress government did it due to polarisation, and we have just rectified it. It should have done earlier,” he said.The Home minister rejected the allegations on the misuse of investigative agencies against the opposition leaders. Shah said we never blamed the opposition for anything, innocent police officers were put behind bars during Congress government.Shah said the BJP had won the 2014 and 2019 elections on the plank of anti-corruption. He said Enforcement Directorate had seized 1.10 lakh crore of assets, of which not even five per cent are of political leaders.“Shall we stop the fight against corruption? Should we not act if the accused is a politician,” Shah asked. The Home minister asked who had filed cases against Lalu Prasad Yadav and who had sent a plane full of officials from Delhi to arrest Shaikh Abdullah.Citing the misuse of agencies, Shah said thousands of innocent persons were imprisoned for 19 months of Emergency and questioned whose doing it was. It was his grandmother Indira Gandhi, he said.On the Maharashtra question, Shah said people wanted Shiv Sena and BJP government and now the real Shiv Sena is with BJP. “I also accept that BJP on its own could have formed the government in Maharashtra. There is no question of the merger of Shiv Sena,” he said.He said the Congress should introspect about its contribution to corruption. There is a strong resentment against Congress governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. We will definitely win elections in Madhya Pradesh, he said.Shah said we have not taken any decision on the face in Rajasthan elections. People want to change the CM of Rajasthan, he said.On Amritpal Singh, Shah said he meets Punjab Chief Minister every three months, irrespective of the government and stand with the party when it comes to the security of the country.“Many people have been arrested in connection with Amritpal case, police and intelligence agencies are working on the case,” he said.On attacks on Indian missions abroad, Shah said it was an attack on India. “We will take action against those involved in the attack, FIR already lodged in Delhi,” he said. Shah said the contribution of Sikhs to India’s freedom has been immense; every Sikh wants to be with India.The Home minister ruled out any confrontation between the judiciary and the government. “Both are working within their limits,” he said. The government’s duty to make law now and the Parliament will think over it, he said
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the CBI was "putting pressure" on him to "frame" Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an alleged fake encounter case in Gujarat when he was being questioned by the probe agency during the Congress-led UPA government.Mr Shah said this at the 'News 18 Rising India' programme in response to a question on Opposition's charge that the Narendra Modi government is "misusing' central agencies to target them.The CBI "was putting pressure" on me to "frame Modi ji" (when he was Gujarat CM) in an alleged fake encounter case during the Congress government," he said, adding that the BJP never raised a ruckus despite this. On Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a criminal defamation case by a court in Surat, the home minister said the Congress leader was not the only politician who was convicted by a court and lost membership of the legislature.Instead of moving to a higher court, Rahul Gandhi has been trying to create hue and cry and blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his fate, he said.Mr Shah said Rahul Gandhi should go to a higher court to fight his case, instead of trying to put the blame on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Congress is spreading misconception; conviction can't be stayed. "The sentence can be stayed if the court decides," he said."He has not appealed to take stay on his conviction. What kind of arrogance is this? You want a favour. You want to continue to be MP and will also not go before the Court," Mr Shah said. Where does such arrogance gets generated, he asked.Mr Shah said 17 prominent leaders, including Lalu Prasad, J Jayalalitha and Raashid Alvi, had lost their membership because of a 2013 Supreme Court order during the UPA government, which said an elected representative would lose his seat immediately after conviction. Still, no one protested wearing black clothes because it is the "law of the land", he said."Listen to the full speech of Rahul Gandhi, he has not only spoken abusive words for Modi ji, he has spoken abusive words for the entire Modi community and OBC society," he said."The law of the land is clear. There is no question of vendetta politics. It is the judgment of the Supreme Court of India, which had come during their government," Mr Shah said.Asked about the notice to vacate his bungalow, Mr Shah asked why should there be "special favour" when the Supreme Court had said to act as soon as the conviction comes into effect."It was a deliberate statement by Rahul Gandhi. If Rahul Gandhi did not want to apologise, then he should not have applied for bail. Let him not apologise," Mr Shah said."This gentleman is not the first one. Politicians who held much bigger positions and with much more experience have lost their membership because of this provision," the Home minister said. He said India's democracy wasn't threatened when Lalu ji was disqualified but it is endangered only when a person from the Gandhi family is disqualified."Now it has come on him, so they are saying make a separate law for the Gandhi family. I want to ask the people of this country whether there should be a separate law for a single family. What kind of mentality is this? Whatever happens, they start blaming Modi ji and the Lok Sabha Speaker," Mr Shah said.He said senior lawyers who are Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha should tell their colleagues that Lok Sabha Speaker has no role in the disqualification. "It is the law of the country that all his speeches in Parliament would have to be erased from the records from the moment of his conviction. Even if his disqualification notice were served a few days later, it would have no purpose," he said.Mr Shah said the BJP did not want changes in the Supreme Court order. The Manmohan Singh government brought an Ordinance to blunt the top court order, but Rahul Gandhi tore it apart, calling it "nonsense"."Once he tore it apart, who in his government would have dared to turn it into law? It was vetoed. Had that ordinance become a law, he could have been saved," Mr Shah said.Asked about Rahul Gandhi's comment on Savarkar, the Home Minister said Veer Savarkar was the only freedom fighter who was sentenced to two life terms in Andaman prison. "Such language for such a freedom fighter should not have been used," he said.He (Rahul) should read his grandmother's speech on Veer Savarkar. His own party people are advising him to not speak against Savarkar, he said."In the general election of 2024, Shah said Modi would again be PM with a larger majority. BJP will get more seats in the 2024 elections than 2019 elections," he said, adding that there is no unity among the opposition.On the upcoming Karnataka elections, Mr Shah said the BJP would comfortably cross the halfway mark and form a government with a clear majority in the state.Ruling out any alliance in Karnataka, Mr Shah said, "The BJP will definitely cross the halfway mark and form the government with an absolute majority in Karnataka. We will win record mandate." Referring to recent Karnataka government's decision to end quota on the basis of religion, he said reservation based on religion is unconstitutional. "Karnataka's Congress government did it due to polarisation, and we have just rectified it. It should have done earlier," he said.The Home minister rejected the allegations on the misuse of investigative agencies against the opposition leaders. Mr Shah said we never blamed the opposition for anything, innocent police officers were put behind bars during Congress government.Mr Shah said the BJP had won the 2014 and 2019 elections on the plank of anti-corruption. He said Enforcement Directorate had seized 1.10 lakh crore of assets, of which not even five per cent are of political leaders. "Shall we stop the fight against corruption? Should we not act if the accused is a politician," Mr Shah asked.The Home minister asked who had filed cases against Lalu Prasad Yadav and who had sent a plane full of officials from Delhi to arrest Shaikh Abdullah.Citing the misuse of agencies, Mr Shah said thousands of innocent persons were imprisoned for 19 months of Emergency and questioned whose doing it was. It was his grandmother Indira Gandhi, he said.On the Maharashtra question, Mr Shah said people wanted Shiv Sena and BJP government and now the real Shiv Sena is with BJP. "I also accept that BJP on its own could have formed the government in Maharashtra. There is no question of the merger of Shiv Sena," he said.He said the Congress should introspect about its contribution to corruption. There is a strong resentment against Congress governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. We will definitely win elections in Madhya Pradesh, he said.Mr Shah said we have not taken any decision on the face in Rajasthan elections. People want to change the CM of Rajasthan, he said.On Amritpal Singh, Mr Shah said he meets Punjab Chief Minister every three months, irrespective of the government and stand with the party when it comes to the security of the country."Many people have been arrested in connection with Amritpal case, police and intelligence agencies are working on the case," he said.On attacks on Indian missions abroad, Mr Shah said it was an attack on India. "We will take action against those involved in the attack, FIR already lodged in Delhi," he said.Mr Shah said the contribution of Sikhs to India's freedom has been immense; every Sikh wants to be with India.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Home minister ruled out any confrontation between the judiciary and the government. "Both are working within their limits," he said. The government's duty is to make law now and the Parliament will think over it, he said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), which had warned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against “insulting” Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, said on Wednesday that the issue has been resolved and they were “firmly united” with the Opposition parties in their fight against the BJP and the Narendra Modi government.“The issue has ended for us…The matter has been resolved,” MP Sanjay Raut, Uddhav Thackeray’s close confidant, told The Indian Express. “I have spoken to Rahul Gandhi about the issue,” he added.“We had raised our concerns on Savarkar two days back. We did not attend the meeting at Mallikarjun Kharge’s house. But there is and will be Opposition unity in Maharashtra as well as the country. We have got the results of the concerns we have expressed. We will attend the Opposition meeting today [Wednesday] and also participate in the protest in Parliament,” Raut said on Wednesday morning.In his speech in Malegaon on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray had warned Rahul Gandhi that the Sena (UBT) would not tolerate any insult to Savarkar. “Savarkar is our deity…we will not tolerate any insult to him,” Thackeray had said.Asked whether Gandhi had promised not to raise the Savarkar issue again, Raut said, “We do not want to speak about it anymore. As I have said, the matter has been resolved.”When asked what the party’s stand would be if Gandhi raises the issue again, Raut said, “If Rahul Gandhi raises the issue again, we will see what to do… But we are confident he will not raise the issue.”Raut said the Shiv Sena (UBT) will be attending the meetings convened by the Opposition or the Congress. The Sena had on Monday night skipped a meeting convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. “We are firmly united with the Opposition to save democracy and dislodge the BJP from power,” Raut said.On Tuesday, Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh said 19 parties were saying in one voice that democracy was in danger and “we have to unitedly face and fight the dictatorial government”. The Shiv Sena (UBT), he said, was one of the 19 parties.“There were 18 parties last night. Today, I have said 19. The number will go up from 18 to 19 when Shiv Sena is part of the group,” Ramesh said at a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday. To this, Raut said, “We are with the Congress and the Opposition…We will be attending all their meetings.”
A day after Uddhav Thackeray warned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against insulting Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said he will meet Rahul and try to convince him to avoid mentioning Savarkar in his speeches and press conferences as it was a matter of faith for the Uddhav-led Sena.“Veer Savarkar is our deity. Savarkar is related to our faith. We cannot tolerate insults to him,” Sanjay Raut, chief spokesperson of Shiv Sena (UBT) told The Indian Express on Monday.Raut, who also addressed reporters in Mumbai on Monday on the same subject, said he will soon meet Rahul in New Delhi. “I will hold discussions with Rahul Gandhi on the issue of Veer Savarkar. I will explain to him the sacrifices made by Savarkar… He spent 14 years in Andaman and Nicobar jail. He was given the worst punishment of ‘kaala pani’,” he said.“Those who have gone to jail, like me, know how difficult it is to live there even for a day. And just imagine, Savarkar spent 14 years in jail where he had to undergo absolute torture. Rahul Gandhi needs to understand the sufferings and sacrifices that Savarkar underwent. I am sure the Congress leader will give me a patient hearing and will try to understand the life and times of Savarkar without insulting him,” he said.Raut added, “We object to the use of words like ‘mafiveer’ for Savarkar. By belittling the sacrifice of Savarkar in this manner, Rahul Gandhi is doing harm to himself and his image. Rahul Gandhi undertook Bharat Jodo Yatra and drew wide praise from across the country. And by insulting Savarkar, he is creating hatred among those who respect the Hindutva ideologue for what he did for the country.”The Sena (UBT) leader said Rahul has repeatedly said that Savarkar had apologised. “But how many times will he repeat the same thing? We did not expect that Rahul Gandhi will carry his animosity for a human being who is dead this far… The Congress leader needs to have closure with regard to his strong sentiments against Savarkar who is not alive to defend himself. He should stop mentioning Savarkar in his speeches and press conferences. There are several important national issues on which he is raising his voice without any fear… He should keep doing that. The country needs a leader like him,” he said.Raut said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has already made it clear that his party will not tolerate any insult to Savarkar. “Rahul Gandhi needs to understand our sentiments as well. Savarkar is a matter of faith for us and therefore we will not tolerate anything said to dishonour or disrespect him,” he said.In its editorial on Monday, the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said, “Rahul Gandhi repeatedly says ‘My name is not Savarkar’. By making such statements, Rahul Gandhi is not going to make the Congress courageous. Neither is he going to reduce the love and admiration that people have for Savarkar. Savarkar means courage, Savarkar means fight against injustice and ‘gulamgiri. Veer Savarkar created warriors in the country and outside to fight against the British. Like Savarkar, Rahul Gandhi will have to create warriors in his own party so that they can take on the present rulers.”The editorial said Rahul has been sentenced to two years’ jail in the 2019 defamation case. “This is an injustice to him. But if he is trying to fight for the truth by insulting Savarkar, he will never get that victory.”The editorial said the Congress leader belongs to a family of martyrs. “Motilal Nehru and Pandit Nehru went all out during the freedom struggle. Their life was dedicated to the country. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made the highest sacrifices for the nation. The country acknowledges their matrydom. Similarly, Veer Savarkar’s brother Babarao Savarkar and their entire family also made the highest sacrifices for the country. No one should try to belittle those great sacrifices,” it added.After the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the two-year jail sentence, there is sympathy in favour of Rahul Gandhi, it said. “But if he continues to insult Savarkar, he will be doing harm to himself..”The editorial said Rahul’s comments on Savarkar will affect the Congress the most in Maharashtra. “In every village of Maharashtra, you will find Savarkar in many forms. This will certainly put the Congress rank and file in a difficult situation in the state.”
Rahul Gandhi was convicted of criminal defamation by a court in Gujarat.New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday hit out at the Congress for its protests against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from parliament, calling it a campaign against the country's constitution and the court's verdict which found him guilty of defaming an "entire backward community".Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also dubbed the Congress agitation an "insult" to Mahatma Gandhi, saying while the Father of the Nation had organised Satyagraha for social causes, the Congress was holding "so-called Satyagraha" for personal reasons.The Congress agitation is a "brazen" display of its arrogance after Mr Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case in Gujarat and his "automatic" disqualification as Lok Sabha MP as a result of the court's verdict, he charged.The Congress's 'Sankalp Satyagraha' has nothing to do with fighting for truth, he added.The BJP leader said Gandhi was convicted by a court in Surat after the due legal process and his disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP was an automatic consequence under the relevant law."Then, Satyagraha for what?" the BJP leader asked."Is it to justify the way you insulted the entire backward community of the country, or against the court which sentenced you,PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comor against the provision under which you have to be disqualified," he said, asking Congress to clarify.Stating that some of the Congress leaders who were allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were also participating in the party's agitation, the BJP leader asked the opposition party to clarify if their Satyagraha organised at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi Sthal in Rajghat was also against 'Ahimsa' (non-violence).
Ashok Gehlot alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was also misusing agencies(FILE)Bharatpur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday claimed the judiciary is under pressure and the 'Modi surname remark' over which a Gujarat court sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail was just a "political" comment.But at the same time, the Congress veteran said he has faith in the Judiciary and the right verdict will come in time – an apparent reference to the possibility of a higher court overturning the ruling.Mr Gehlot alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was also misusing agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate."Today there is pressure on Judiciary, pressure on Election Commissions, ED, Income Tax, CBI, which are premium agencies and their credibility used to be huge, are being misused. When such an atmosphere prevails, such rulings are made…every ruling (faisla) is influenced," he said."I have full faith in judiciary that the right decision will be taken in the coming time," the Chief Minister said.A court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his "Modi surname" remarks.The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Mr Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader's lawyer Babu Mangukiya said."We have seen for 40-50 years, how many such comments Vajpayee ji, Advani ji must have made but that time was different, this time is different. In those days there were no such court cases," Mr Gehlot said."Rahul Gandhi's comment also means that the people with Modi surname think that Modi is our man, he will save us," he said, adding, "This was a political comment." Mr Gehlot said PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the NDA government do not pay attention to the issues of unemployment, inflation and violence raised by Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra but instead are focused on taking revenge.Targeting BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra for calling Rahul Gandhi the present-day Mir Jafar of Indian policy, Mr Gehlot said people who make low-level comments are the face of the BJP."History is witness that the deeds of Mir Jafar were done by Veer Savarkar and the people of RSS during the freedom struggle. While Pandit Nehru and other leaders were in jail, Veer Savarkar apologised many times in writing," he said.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com"When the freedom struggle was going on against the British, what was the role of RSS? Did even a single person take part in the freedom struggle? They link Rahul Gandhi with Mir Zafar, they should be ashamed of this. RSS played the role of Mir Zafar and betrayed the country," he added.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
One of the core principles of the Indian Constitution is rule of law, which means that everyone must be treated equally in the eyes of law. Contrary to this principle, there was a deep sense of feudal entitlement in the ruling establishment decades after we won independence and became a republic. Officially, authority was derived from the mandate of the public and not a select few. However, doles in the form of civilian honours and Upper House nominations were offered to perpetuate the dominance of one family. The state of affairs has undergone a massive transformation in the last eight years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The conviction of Rahul Gandhi on March 23, followed by his disqualification from Parliament today, is an affirmation of the promise and foresight of the makers of our Constitution. You break the law, you face the music. After Rahul Gandhi made derogatory comments about a specific community, a case was filed against him in Surat. The fundamental trait of a leader is empathy towards his people and mockery of a community is neither warranted nor desirable from someone aspiring to be a national leader. The comments that were made about the first-ever tribal woman president of the country reflect a similar condescension, which has become an institutional character of the Congress party.That aside, the statements by the Congress leadership following the Surat court’s verdict smack of an outlook that puts one family above the law. The Indian National Congress as an institution often claims a substantial stake in the historical legacy of the struggle for freedom. Freedom for whom, is the question that arises now. One family. This has become an oft-repeated script. They will protest if they are being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in a case that involves corruption. They will issue statements against the judicial process and raise questions about the integrity of the entire institution. They have even put a constitutional body like the Election Commission of India in a spot by issuing statements undermining the organisation. Rahul Gandhi has become a habitual offender — even after the court reprimand and the subsequent apology in the Rafale case, he simply refuses to learn from his mistakes. First it was “chowkidar” and now it is Modi.Democracy is not an abstract idea — it is run by institutions. Institutions need autonomy and the right environment to operate efficiently and in a non-partisan manner. On the one hand, the leader of the Congress goes to a foreign land and complains about the democratic ethos in India and on the other, he is gradually becoming a flag bearer of institutional erosion of constitutional values. The recent campaign of the Congress-led Opposition in maligning agencies like the CBI and Enforcement Directorate is yet another example of this trend. The ED as an institution has done great service by attacking the financial architecture of terror organisations like Jaish-e-Mohammed and is also playing an instrumental role in the NPA crisis by recapitalising the banks that were defrauded by the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Similarly, the CBI is only pursuing cases against leaders from regional political parties, like the disproportionate assets case, the fodder scam case etc., that were initiated during the UPA era.What Congress is doing is nothing but obstruction of justice. There is absolutely no need for fear if you have not done anything unlawful and are confident that you can deal with it. The constant vilification of institutions will not go down well in history. As political activists, we do claim to have our finger on the pulse of the public but the people of India are more intelligent than the collective political class can imagine. They are not just mute spectators but are active observers — they punished Congress in 2014 and 2019. By indulging in theatrics against the Constitution and its institutions, the party is preparing for another self-goal and a further dilution of the faith of the public.The writer is national spokesperson, BJP
Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a criminal defamation case and subsequently disqualified as MPNew Delhi: Union minister Bhupender Yadav today hit out at the Congress for raising questions on a Gujarat court order convicting Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case, asking if they consider themselves above the law of the land.Mr Yadav, a prominent OBC face of BJP, noted that the court convicted Rahul Gandhi following due process of law but the Congress leader and his party are not able to accept the verdict due to their "arrogance".In the course of the trial of the 2019 defamation case in Surat, the court repeatedly gave opportunity to Mr Gandhi to understand and apologise for his remark, but he did not do so due to his arrogance, the BJP leader said."Are Congress party and Rahul Gandhi higher than the law of the country? Is it a national leader's job to abuse and insult a surname of the OBC society? the senior BJP leader asked at a press conference."I believe Congress party and Rahul Gandhi personally are guilty of hurling abuse at the entire OBC community in the country," he said, adding, "Everybody should respect the court verdict".A court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a case filed against him over his remark, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" The court granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.The Congress said the conviction of Rahul Gandhi was "erroneous and unsustainable" and will be challenged in a higher court."We believe that if you insult a particular community in such a manner, it is not Bharat Jodo (unite India) but Bharat Todo (divide India)," the BJP leader charged.His words reflect his mindset about the OBC society and other smaller (lower caste) societies, he added.Mr Yadav also slammed Mr Gandhi for his recent remarks in the UK on democracy in India and accused him of hurling abuses and telling lies.The Congress leader has not just insulted a caste or a society with his remarks for which he has been convicted by the court, he has also "insulted" India, the Constitution of India and the democratic process in India, he charged."Rahul Gandhi keeps on abusing and lying. It has become a part of his habit. Levelling unfounded allegations against our country's parliamentary traditions, debate and discussions proves that Rahul Gandhi is habitually committing such kind of offence," he added.Replying to questions, the BJP leader said freedom of speech doesn't mean Rahul Gandhi can "abuse anyone and insult any society." "Abusing an entire society is not freedom of speech. This is a misuse of freedom of speech," he said.Mr Yadav said everyone from the OBC society has the right to live with dignity, keep his surname and do his work."Abusing a surname is certainly an insult to crores of people engaged in uplifting the society. This is what Rahul Gandhi has done," he added.The minister held opposition parties, "mainly Congress", responsible for the logjam in Parliament and the passage of the Union Budget without any discussion."They come to attend the business advisory committee meeting but do not follow its decision," he charged."Storming the well, sloganeering in the House and showing placards is an insult to Parliament… Those insulting the Parliament are raising questions on its functioning going abroad. There is a clear difference in what they say and do," the minister added.On AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal coming out in support of Rahul Gandhi, Mr Yadav said political leaders need to understand that no one has the right to insult any OBC community."Leaders should have control over their language. We should use all opportunities for healthy political discussions," he added.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com"There are legal processes and unbiased institutions to decide on it. I don't want to comment on this," he said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
