Published On : Sat, Mar 25th, 2023

“My name is not Savarkar, won’t apologise”: Rahul Gandhi on disqualification

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New Delhi: A combative Rahul Gandhi tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after the top opposition leader was disqualified from Parliament. Gandhi claimed the Prime Minister is scared of his next speech and used a Veer Savarkar reference to answer why he didn’t apologise over his remarks in London and during the defamation trial in which he was convicted.

“I have been disqualified as the Prime Minister is scared of my next speech. I have seen fear in his eyes. That’s why they don’t want me to speak in Parliament,” said the Congress leader.

Responding to the BJP’s calls for apology, he said, “My name is not Savarkar. I am Gandhi. I won’t apologise.” He also denied the BJP’s charges that he had sought the intervention of international forces in the domestic affairs of the country. He said he had asked the Speaker to let him respond on the floor of the House to the allegations over his London remarks.

“BJP leaders claimed that I am helping anti-India forces. I told the Speaker that it is my right to respond to these allegations. But he didn’t allow me,” he said. “I have only one step and that’s to fight for truth and to defend democratic nature of this country. Disqualify me for life, jail me for life, I will continue going.”

“Do I look worried? I’m excited,” said an undeterred Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi was on Thursday convicted by a court in Gujarat’s Surat and sentenced to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case. Consequently, he was disqualified as an MP the next day, triggering sharp response from the Opposition camps.

Speaking at the press conference, he said, “Even if they disqualify me permanently, I will keep doing my work. It does not matter if I am inside the Parliament or not. I will keep fighting for the country. I am not interested in anything but the truth. I only speak the truth, it is my work and I will keep doing it even if I get disqualified or get arrested. This country has given me everything and that is why I do this.”

Talking about the PM, he said, “The Prime Minister is scared of my next speech on Adani, and I have seen it in his eyes. That is why, first the distraction and then the disqualification. This is the whole drama that has been orchestrated to defend the Prime Minister from the simple question – Who’s Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani’s shell companies? I am not scared of these threats, disqualifications, or prison sentences.”

Rahul Gandhi further said that his speech in Parliament was expunged. He said that some ministers lied about him, accusing him of seeking help from foreign powers. Gandhi claimed that there is no such thing that he has done. “I will not stop asking questions, I will keep questioning the relationship between PM Modi and Adani,” he said.

On Thursday, March 23, Gandhi was convicted of criminal defamation by a Surat court and sentenced to two years in prison. Consequently, he was also disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction. Rahul Gandhi made a statement during a political rally in 2019 where he questioned why many individuals with the surname Modi were associated with criminal activity. This led to a defamation case filed against him by a BJP MLA, Purnesh Modi.