India: Rahul Gandhi Disqualified From Parliament After Defamation Case
The Facts
India's parliament on Friday disqualified senior opposition leader Rahul Gandhi from his membership of Lok Sabha, the country's lower house, a day after he was sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case.
Gandhi, who was at the official residence of his mother Sonia Gandhi — the longest-serving president of the Congress party — when the parliament notice became public, will now have 30 days to vacate his official residence.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is without question a politically motivated case against Prime Minister Modi's top election opponent. The ruling government headed by Modi, who touts India as "the Mother of Democracy," has prosecuted several politicians, though, conveniently, none have been against members of the BJP. Modi and his accomplices are eradicating decent in journalism and government, paving the way for an indefinite period of illegitimate one-party rule.
Narrative B
The judgment shows no one is above the law and can escape due judicial process for scurrilous statements, scandalous comments, and defamatory remarks. The fact that India is a democracy does not allow a citizen to throw inflammatory abuses at anyone. The sentence will set a precedent that insulting people by citing their caste or targeting them for their surname is inexcusable, even for politicians. Rahul Gandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction and choose his words before speaking in the future.