Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Mocks Congress Again, Says ‘No One Has Time For Rahul Gandhi’

Rahul Gandhi has contended that the Surat court order was "erroneous and patently perverse" and alleged that he was sentenced in a manner so as to attract disqualification as a Member of Parliament.

Dwarka: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again mocked Congress over its ongoing protests against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha and said that “no one has time for the Congress MP.”  "Everyone is busy doing their work, no one has time for Rahul Gandhi," Assam CM said while speaking to the media. "He (Rahul Gandhi) would not have received any punishment if he had apologised, but he refused to do so. This is happening because of his arrogance," said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his in-person appeal in Surat court against his conviction in the 2019 defamation case and said that his appearance in court shows his arrogance. 

"Had you gone there to display your arrogance or pressurise the judiciary or threaten the investigation agencies?" BJP leader said while speaking to the media. "The way Rahul Gandhi turned the entire episode into a show is condemnable. He should have apologised to the OBC community first, but not doing so shows Congress` arrogance. He could have gone there as a common leader in a simple manner, but he had all the other corrupt Congress leaders with him," Trivedi said.

On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with several senior leaders including chief ministers of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh Surat accompanied Rahul Gandhi to the Gujarat court. Rahul Gandhi`s sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied him to the court. 

Surat Court Pauses Rahul Gandhi’s Sentence

A Surat Sessions Court on Monday granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had filed an appeal following his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark during a political campaign in April 2019.

The court in Gujarat`s Surat granted bail till the disposal of the appeal to Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case. The court of Additional Sessions Judge R P Mogera said it will hear his plea for suspension of Rahul Gandhi`s conviction on April 13 and issued notice to Purnesh Modi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, the complainant in the case.

The application was filed under section 389 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code for suspension of the execution of sentence and for releasing of appellant or accused on bail during the pendency of the appeal. The court allowed the application, saying, "Pendency of appeal, the sentence imposed upon applicant accused on March 23 by Chief Judicial Magistrate Surat here by suspended and appellant shall remain on bail."

The Surat District and Sessions Court granted bail to Gandhi against a surety of Rs 15,000. The court will hear Rahul`s application seeking suspension of conviction on April 13. Rahul Gandhi earlier appeared in the court and filed an appeal against his March 23 conviction.

Surat Court Order ‘Erroneous And Patently Perverse’

The former Congress chief, who was present in the court, in his appeal against his conviction and sentence by a Magistrate's court on March 23 contended that the order was "erroneous and patently perverse", alleging he was sentenced in a manner so as to attract disqualification as a Member of Parliament.

Gandhi submitted he was treated harshly by the trial court which was "overwhelmingly influenced" by his status as an MP, and maintained there is no such thing as a "definite Modi samaj or community on record". "It appears reasonable to argue that the applicant was really sentenced in a manner so as to attract the order of disqualification (as an MP)."

He further said that by the very nature of his task, a politician in Opposition cannot always weigh his words in "golden scales." "Hence, it is incumbent upon courts to focus on the essence and spirit of the speech (related to Modi surname) made rather than on the tone and tenor," Gandhi said, adding "a strong and uncompromising opposition" is the essential requirement of a "true and healthy democracy."

"Parliamentarian, in Opposition, is expected or rather required to be 'vigilant and critical', and the view of the trial court that a Member of Parliament deserves to be awarded the highest punishment because of his status "is wholly unwarranted and manifestly unjust," said the four-time MP.

Gandhi's lawyer Kirit Panwala said the bail was given by Additional Sessions Judge RP Mogera till the disposal of his appeal against the Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma's order of conviction and sentence on March 23.

Rahul Gandhi’s Conviction In Modi Surname Case

The former MP from Wayanad was convicted and sentenced to two years in hail by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma on March 23 in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname` remark made during a political campaign in Kolar in Karnataka in April 2019. The court sentenced him to two years imprisonment but suspended the jail term for 30 days. After the Surat court`s verdict, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as MP from Lok Sabha. 

A day later, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha triggering a political slugfest between Congress and the BJP. He stands disqualified from contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction.