https://sputniknews.in/20230330/foreign-meddling-germanys-comments-on-rahul-gandhi-disqualification-stir-a-row-in-india-1366354.html
Foreign Meddling? Germany's Comments on Rahul Gandhi Disqualification Stir a Row in India
Foreign Meddling? Germany's Comments on Rahul Gandhi Disqualification Stir a Row in India
Sputnik India
The German foreign ministry has said that it expected the "standards of judicial independence and fundamental democratic principles" to "equally apply" in Rahul Gandhi's case.
2023-03-30T14:44+0530
2023-03-30T14:44+0530
2023-03-30T14:44+0530
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Indian Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday strongly criticized Congress politician Rahul Gandhi for “inviting foreign powers” to interfere in the internal matters of the country.Rijiju was responding to a comment by a senior Congress parliamentarian Digvijaya Singh, who thanked the German foreign ministry for its remarks on the parliamentary disqualification of Gandhi.Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale, head of federally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) foreign affairs department, also took umbrage to the Congress MP’s gratitude to Germany.“It only shows how desperate they are to involve external agencies in domestic matters,” he stated.Amit Malviya, who heads the BJP’s Information and Technology (IT) Department, said that it was “shameful” on part of Congress to seek foreign “intervention” in India’s domestic affairs.“Rahul Gandhi had recently sought Europe and US intervention and now it is Digvijay Singh,” Malviya alleged.Besides Germany, the US State Department has also commented on the disqualification of Gandhi, with US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel saying Washington was “watching” Gandhi’s case in Indian courts.Gandhi’s Disqualification as MPThe Indian MP was disqualified from his membership of Lok Sabha (lower chamber of Parliament) last week after a local court in Gujarat state convicted him in a defamation case.The court case against him was lodged by a BJP politician and ex-Gujarat state minister Purnesh Modi over Gandhi’s remarks at a political meeting in Karnataka state in 2019. At that time, Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Modi, claiming that all the “thieves have a common surname”. It was apparently a reference to two Indian fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. However, the fiery remark on Modi surname stirred a generalized impression of everyone whoever has it as their surname, as "thieves".Gandhi was sentenced to a two-year jail term in the defamation case, but he is currently out on bail. The politician has 30 days from the date of conviction to appeal the sentence in a higher court.Under Indian law, convicted MPs stand to lose their parliamentary membership.In his defense, Gandhi insists that he has been targeted for questioning alleged links between billionaire businessman Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Modi, actively fostered by India's opposition.Controversial London VisitGandhi has been in hot waters ever since his controversial speech in London earlier this month, for which the BJP accused him of seeking foreign interference in India’s internal matters for political gains.“Democracy in India is a global, public good. It impacts way further than our boundaries. If Indian democracy collapses, in my view, democracy on the planet suffers a very serious, possibly fatal blow. So, it is important for you too. It is not just important for us. We will deal with our problem, but you must be aware that this problem is going to play out on a global scale,” Gandhi said during an interaction at the Chatham House in London.Before Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP last week, various parliamentarians from the BJP demanded an apology from Gandhi on the floor of Parliament.
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Foreign Meddling? Germany's Comments on Rahul Gandhi Disqualification Stir a Row in India
The German Foreign Ministry has said that it expected the "standards of judicial independence and fundamental democratic principles" to "equally apply" in Rahul Gandhi's case.
Indian Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday strongly criticized Congress politician Rahul Gandhi for “inviting foreign powers” to interfere in the internal matters of the country.
Rijiju was responding to a comment by a senior Congress parliamentarian Digvijaya Singh, who thanked the German foreign ministry for its remarks on the parliamentary disqualification of Gandhi.
The law minister stated that India “won’t tolerate foreign influence anymore because our Prime Minister is Narendra Modi.”
Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale, head of federally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) foreign affairs department, also took umbrage to the Congress MP’s gratitude to Germany.
“It only shows how desperate they are to involve external agencies in domestic matters,” he stated.
Amit Malviya, who heads the BJP’s Information and Technology (IT) Department, said that it was “shameful” on part of Congress to seek foreign “intervention” in India’s domestic affairs.
“Rahul Gandhi had recently sought Europe and US intervention and now it is Digvijay Singh,” Malviya alleged.
Besides Germany, the US State Department has also commented on the disqualification of Gandhi, with US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel saying Washington was “watching” Gandhi’s case in Indian courts.
Gandhi’s Disqualification as MP
The Indian MP was disqualified from his membership of Lok Sabha (lower chamber of Parliament) last week after a local court in Gujarat state
convicted him in a defamation case.
The court case against him was lodged by a BJP politician and ex-Gujarat state minister Purnesh Modi over Gandhi’s remarks at a political meeting in Karnataka state in 2019. At that time, Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Modi, claiming that all the “thieves have a common surname”.
It was apparently a reference to two Indian fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. However, the fiery remark on Modi surname stirred a generalized impression of everyone whoever has it as their surname, as "thieves".
Gandhi was sentenced to a two-year jail term in the defamation case, but he is currently out on bail. The politician has 30 days from the date of conviction to appeal the sentence in a higher court.
Under Indian law, convicted MPs stand to lose their parliamentary membership.
In his defense, Gandhi insists that he has been targeted for questioning alleged links between billionaire businessman Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Modi, actively fostered by India's opposition.
Controversial London Visit
Gandhi has been in hot waters ever since his controversial speech in London earlier this month, for which the BJP accused him of seeking foreign interference in India’s internal matters for political gains.
“Democracy in India is a global, public good. It impacts way further than our boundaries. If Indian democracy collapses, in my view, democracy on the planet suffers a very serious, possibly fatal blow. So, it is important for you too. It is not just important for us. We will deal with our problem, but you must be aware that this problem is going to play out on a global scale,” Gandhi said during an interaction at the Chatham House in London.
Before Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP last week, various parliamentarians from the BJP
demanded an apology from Gandhi on the floor of Parliament.
