Rahul Gandhi insulted an entire community with his “Modi surname” remark and refused to apologise when given a chance, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at Network18’s Rising India Summit on Wednesday when asked about the Congress leader’s conviction in a defamation case and subsequent disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
“Rahul Handhi insulted a community. He had a chance to rectify it, but he did not. The law is equal for everyone in India. The law is the law,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi was convicted and was given a two-year sentence in the 2019 defamation case over his remarks on Modi surname, following which he was disqualified as MP of Lok Sabha. The Congress has said that it will fight the matter both politically and legally and will take the issue to the public.
The Election Commission has said it is in no hurry to announce bypoll to Wayanad constituency as the trail court has given Gandhi one month to appeal against the court order.
Rahul Gandhi has also been served a notice to vacate the government bungalow allotted to him by April 22 following his disqualification as an MP. The development is likely to further escalate the political fight between the BJP and the Congress and its allies who have targeted the government over the issue.
Sources said Gandhi can write to the Housing Committee seeking an extension, and the panel can take a decision depending on the validity of the reasons cited by him. The committee has 11 members drawn from different parties and is headed BJP MP CR Patil.
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