06 August,2023 03:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed the Union government was afraid of Rahul Gandhi and that is why the Congress leader is yet to be reinstated as Lok Sabha MP despite the Supreme Court staying his conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to his "Modi surname" remark, reported the PTI.
On August 4, the apex had stayed Gandhi's conviction in the case, paving the way for his reinstatement as Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala.
"The swiftness with which he was disqualified as MP is not being seen after the SC staying the conviction. Three days have passed but the Lok Sabha Speaker is yet to reinstate him," Sanjay Raut told reporters, accoording to the PTI.
"The Central government is scared of Rahul Gandhi due to which he is yet to be reinstated as MP," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed.
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Decrying the delay as well as the speaker's statement that he needs to study the SC order, Raut said, "We (opposition bloc) INDIA parties are meeting tomorrow to discuss our strategy."
Gandhi was disqualified as LS MP on March 24 after the metropolitan court in Surat in Gujarat sentenced him to two years in jail in the case a day earlier.
On July 7, the Gujarat High Court dismissed his plea seeking a stay on the conviction, after which he approached the apex court on July 15.
On Friday, Sanjay Raut had said "justice is alive" after the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case over his Modi surname remark, according to the PTI.
Sanjay Raut, whose party is an ally of the Congress, said post the verdict the Lok Sabha Speaker should revoke Gandhi's disqualification, which kicked in after his conviction and two-year jail term handed by the trial court in Surat in the case, from the Lower House of Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP was a pre-decided move with a motive to throw him out of Parliament because of the kind of attacks he had been staging against the BJP-led government in the last two years, alleged the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
(with PTI inputs)
