Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who is a key leader of the Congress party, has responded to his disqualification as a member of parliament after being sentenced to two years in jail in a defamation case. He tweeted in Hindi that he is "ready to pay any price" in his fight for the voice of India.
The defamation case was related to a remark he made that was seen as an insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Lok Sabha Secretariat has declared his constituency in Kerala's Wayanad vacant, and the Election Commission can now announce a special election for the seat.
Gandhi will have a month to vacate his government bungalow in Delhi. The Congress has alleged a conspiracy behind the move, claiming that Gandhi was being silenced for posing tough questions to the government. On the other hand, the BJP called the move lawful, stating that an independent court had given the verdict on his remark, where they claim he insulted the entire Other Backward Classes (OBC) community.
The move has caused a huge outcry, with leaders of several opposition parties expressing shock and decrying the "murder of democracy" and some calling it a dictatorial move. Congress is planning nationwide protests in this regard. Many feel that it may be a turning point in the battle between BJP and the opposition parties.
