New Delhi: A day after Rahul Gandhi was convicted in the “Modi surname” defamation case, he was disqualified as Lok Sabha MP. The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notice in this regard on Friday. It was signed by Secretary General, Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday broke the silence over his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP

“Consequent upon his conviction by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat…, Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad Parliamentary constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of the lower house from the date of his conviction,” the notification read.

Notably, according to the Representation of the People Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Friday broke the silence over his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP.

Gandhi, in a tweet, said he is fighting for the voice of India and is ready to price for this. Earlier in the day, the Wayanad MP was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after he was convicted in the “Modi surname” defamation case”.

The Congress leader tweeted, “I am fighting for the voice of India. I am ready to pay every price.” Notably, the disqualification came in effect from March 23, the day of the Wayanad MP’s conviction in the defamation case.

“Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat…Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March, 2023,” the notification read.

Opposition leaders, including, Mamata Banerjee, Sitaram Yechury and Uddhav Thackeray have come in support of Gandhi. Launching a scathing attack over Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP, the Congress termed it a “strangulation of democracy”.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the issue was both political and legal. “It is a political issue because it signifies the systematic emasculation of democratic institutions by the ruling party and the strangulation of democracy itself,” he said. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh was also present at the press conference.

“We all know Rahul Gandhi has been speaking inside and outside Parliament fearlessly. He has spoken on social issues, economic issues, political issues without any fear or inhibition…clearly he is paying the price for it,” Singhvi added.