Watching Rahul Gandhi case closely: US after Congress leader disqualified from Parliament

The US said it is watching the developments in connection with the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. It further added the strengthening of democratic values and freedom of expression remains to be the cornerstone of the relations between both countries. Notably, Rahul Gandhi was suspended from the Lok Sabha after getting convicted in a criminal defamation case by a court in Surat. 

Vedant Patel, US Principal Dy Spokesperson in his maiden press conference said, "Respect for rule of law & judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy. We’re watching Mr Gandhi’s case in the Indian court and we engage with the Indian government on a shared commitment to democratic values including freedom of expression. In our engagements with our Indian partners, we continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles and the protection of human rights including freedom of expression as a key to strengthening both our democracies engaging with the government of India."

#WATCH | "Respect for rule of law & judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy. We’re watching Mr Gandhi’s case in Indian court .... ":Vedant Patel, US Principal Dy Spokesperson on defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over his 'Modi surname' remark pic.twitter.com/WFUaAcBWd0

— ANI (@ANI)

Rahul Gandhi suspended from Parliament

When asked about any planned engagements with Rahul Gandhi he said, “I dont have any specific engagements to read out now but it is normal and standard for us to engage with members of opposition parties in any country where we have bilateral relationships.” It's important to note Congress has staged massive protests across the country against the action on Rahul Gandhi and the party is also demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe on the Adani issue. 

In a major setback to the grand old party, Congress leader and now the former Member of Parliament (MP) from Wayanad, Kerala, Rahul Gandhi was stripped of from his position as an MP by the Lok Sabha secretariat after he was held guilty by a local court in Surat, Gujarat in a criminal defamation case regarding the insult of the surname of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At a public rally in Kolar, Karnataka, in the run-up to the general elections in 2019, he said, “How come all thieves have the Modi surname?”. In response, Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi from Surat West, had said in his 2019 complaint that Rahul insulted crores of people with his remark.