Reinstate Rahul Gandhi's LS membership with same speed it was revoked: Adhir Ranjan

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Saturday, August 5, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership should be reinstated with the same speed, with which it was revoked. Chowdhury urged Lok Sabha Secretariat Om Birla to speed up Gandhi's restoration as the MP so that the latter can participate in the no-confidence motion against the government, which is slated to begin on August 8.  

Chowdhury formally handed over a copy of the Supreme Court order of the stay to the Lok Sabha Secretariat Om Birla on Saturday. 

Chowdhury speaks to reporters

Addressing a press conference, Chowdhury told reporters, “The speed, with which Rahul Gandhi was disqualified, it is important to reinstate him with the same speed. I called up the Speaker sahib (Om Birla) last night (Friday) and told him that I wanted to submit court documents to him to facilitate Rahul Gandhiji’s return to the House; he asked me to call him up this morning (Saturday)."

Chowdhury added, "I called up the Speaker on Friday night and told him I wanted to hand over the Supreme Court order staying the conviction of Rahul Gandhi. I also wanted to submit our letter. So, I sought time to meet him; he told me he would meet me on Saturday."

Chowdhury further added, “I called up the Speaker on Saturday morning; he then asked me to get in touch with Lok Sabha Secretary General and hand over the document to his office. I called up the Secretary General who said his office was shut today as it was a holiday! I asked whom shall I hand over the letter to then? He asked me to hand it to the Speaker, which will reach him through the Speaker’s office."

He further said, “I told the Secretary General to at least get the letter 'received' but he said it was a holiday. What if it is a holiday? There should be some system to receive a letter in emergency, to which he assured me there was a system."

Chowdhury further said, "The General Secretary said there's a dak (post) system. He asked me to send someone with the letter and the order. I sent the letter, which was received by an Under Secretary. Although he signed it, he didn't affix the seal on it. When SC has given Rahul Gandhi relief, my request to the Speaker and his office is that there shouldn't be any difficulty in his return to the House."

Chowdhury stated that he had submitted all the three documents that were required for Gandhi's reinstatement namely - the notification issued by Lok Sabha Secretariat in March disqualifying Gandhi, the order of the Supreme Court as well as the letter that he (Chowdhury) had written to the Speaker requesting Gandhi's reinstatement. Chowdhury concluded by saying, “As per the rules, I did everything that was required on behalf of my party."

Jairam Ramesh retorts

Congress General Secretary and MP Jairam Ramesh, on social media platform X, posted, "26 hours have passed since the Supreme Court stayed his wholly unjustified conviction. Why hasn’t his position as MP been restored yet? Is the Prime Minister afraid of his participation in the No Confidence Motion?”

Modi surname remark

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the conviction of Congress leader and ex-Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi, by a Surat Court, in the criminal defamation case where the latter in 2019 had said, "Why all thieves have Modi surname?" 

Gandhi was disqualified as an MP this year after he was convicted by Surat Court for his comments at an election rally said to be hinted at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.