NEW DEHLI: In a significant development, India’s parliament has reinstated Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Congress party, as a member after the Supreme Court suspended his conviction for defamation.
The government issued a notice confirming his return to the legislative body, marking a turning point in the politician’s career.
Rahul Gandhi, hailing from a prominent political dynasty with his father, grandmother, and great-grandfather all having served as prime ministers of India, faced a defamation case in March. The case was filed against him by a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over comments he made in 2019. These comments were considered derogatory towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others who shared the same name, including the aforementioned lawmaker.
Following his conviction, which occurred earlier this year, the 53-year-old Gandhi lost his parliamentary seat and was sentenced to two years in jail. However, he was later granted bail, allowing him to remain free during the legal proceedings.
In a recent turn of events, the Court intervened by suspending Gandhi’s conviction. This decision effectively paved the way for him to return to parliament and participate in the upcoming general election scheduled for next year. Despite the suspension, Gandhi is still seeking to overturn the conviction entirely, but the resolution of his challenge is yet to be heard by a lower court.
During the period of his conviction, Rahul Gandhi remained active in politics and tirelessly worked towards advancing his party’s agenda. He played a crucial role in initiating talks between the Congress party and other opposition parties, with the aim of forming a grand alliance to challenge the ruling BJP in the upcoming general election. This effort marks an important strategy to consolidate opposition forces and present a united front against the ruling party.
