MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday claimed the Supreme Court order staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation has exposed the Union government's "vindictive politics."
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' said Gandhi is expected to give a tough fight to political opponents during the Lok Sabha polls due next year.
Gandhi was convicted by a court at Surat in Gujarat in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark and sentenced to two-year imprisonment to stop him from contesting the Lok Sabha polls, the Marathi daily claimed. A punishment of two years and above automatically disqualifies a lawmaker.
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed Gandhi's conviction, paving the way for the restoration of his Lok Sabha membership. Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was restored on Monday. The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification announcing his disqualification has been revoked and his membership restored. Gandhi represents Wayanad in the Lok Sabha.
"The Supreme Court studied properly the decisions of lower courts over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member and then gave its decision...the court's decision has exposed the vindictive politics of the Union government," the editorial in 'Saamana' claimed.
It is clear that Rahul Gandhi would give a tough fight (to political opponents) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and topple the "tyrant" government in the national capital Delhi, it said.
Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two-year imprisonment to restrict him from contesting the next Lok Sabha election, it claimed.
"Purnesh Modi was used as a frontman to file the defamation case (against Gandhi). The SC exposed the lie of the applicant," the editorial said.
The only objective of the (Surat) court was to disqualify Rahul Gandhi, it claimed. Neither the Surat court nor the Gujarat High Court gave any reason behind the sentence of two-year imprisonment for Gandhi. The Supreme Court pointed out this fact and gave its decision, the Marathi Daily said.
The editorial also claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed a "gimmick" by bowing before the Lok Sabha steps (nine years ago), but since then justice, truth, logic and Constitution are defeated on a daily basis. "There is suppression of truth, justice and morality from the land of Gujarat, but the Supreme Court has not remained a mere spectator," it added.