India

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) A day after his conviction in a criminal defamation case, Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified from the Lok Sabha membership.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat in its notification said, "Consequent upon his conviction by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat..., Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad Parliamentary constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of the lower house from the date of his conviction..."

This order was issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday and was signed by Secretary General, Lok Sabha.

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

Gandhi was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?..." remark.

--IANS
miz/dpb

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) A courthere on Friday reserved its order on bail plea filed by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's bail matter in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled the date for pronouncement of order for March 31.

The court had, on Monday, sent the AAP leader to judicial custody till April 3.

On March 21, Judge Nagpal had asked the probe agency to file written submissions and relevant judgments.

During the hearing, one of Sisodia's counsel had said that nothing exceptional was stated by the CBI which would warrant continued custody.

"Nothing on record to show that Sisodia will be threatening the witnesses," the counsel said, arguing that Sisodia has cooperated with the CBI investigation and none of the searches have revealed any incriminating material against him.

"It goes without doubt that Manish Sisodia has deep roots in society. He has appeared every time he was called before the CBI. I am a public servant. There have been two public servants in this case, allegations far graver than mine. But they are sent without arrest.

"There is no real substantial evidence of tampering with witness or threatening witnesses, etc. I request you to kindly grant me bail," the counsel added.

Appearing for the CBI, Special Public Prosecutor D.P. Singh had said: "It's not only the mobile phones, files were also destroyed. I am very serious that destruction of evidence was a constant practice."

The CBI had opposed Sisodia's bail plea, saying that this will compromise and scuttle their investigation.

Sisodia on Tuesday also moved a bail plea in a court in the same case being being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The court had issued notice to the central agency.

After the CBI arrested the AAP leader on February 26, the ED also arrested him in the same case on March 9.

During the last hearing in the ED case, the court was apprised by the ED that important details have come up during Sisodia's custody and he had to confront with other accused persons.

The probe agency had informed the court that voluminous data from the former Deputy Chief Minister's email and mobile is also being forensically analysed.

--IANS
spr/ksk/

Varanasi (UP), March 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, gifted 28 projects worth Rs 1,780 crore to his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi.

The projects include a ropeway that will ease traffic congestion and other infrastructure projects including ATC tower at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, 2 MW solar power plant at water works premises, Bhelupur; 800 KW solar power plant at Konia Pumping Station; new Community Health Centre at Sarnath; infrastructure improvement of Industrial estate at Chandpur and rejuvenation of temples of Kedareshwar, Vishweshwar and Omkareshwar Khand Parikrama.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that Varanasi had emerged as a new tourist destination with increased air connectivity.

He said that the tourist traffic had increased in the past few years due to availability of better facilities in the holy city.

He said that the people of Varanasi were equally responsible for rapid development because of their cooperation.

"Today, Varanasi is a hub for tourism and the local economy is also booming. The economy of eastern Uttar Pradesh is also benefitting because exports have increased," he said.

He said that the Integrated Pack House would benefit farmers of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The facility, to be the third such one in the state, will be used for the storage and packaging of vegetables and fruits, and to boost agricultural exports from the region.

The pack house was built on a 4,461 square feet area in Karkhiyaon at Rs 15.78 crore.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment with the aim to ramp up the supply of Banarasi langra mango, cauliflower, green chilli and tomato, which are grown in abundance in eastern UP, to Japan, Australia, Korea and Europe.


--IANS
amita/kvd

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) After a Surat court held Rahul Gandhi guilty in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury announced that she would file a defamation case against Modi since the latter supposedly linked her laughter to 'Surupanakha', a demoness in Hindu mythology in a House proceeding.

Taking to Twitter, Chowdhury on Friday said that Modi insulted her by his remark made in Parliament in 2018. She also posted a video of the House proceedings.

She added: "This classless megalomaniac referred to me as Surupanakha on the floor of the House. I will file a defamation case against him. Let's see how fast courts will act now."

In the video, Modi while addressing the Chairman said: "I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. I am fortunate to hear such laughter today, after the Ramayana serial."

The Chairman had asked Chowdhury to be silent after her laughter was heard during Modi's address.

--IANS
ptk/fs/bg

Patna, March 24 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has claimed that 77 people died in the hooch tragedy in Bihar's Saran district, instead of 44 as reported by the Bihar government.

In an 18 pages report here on Thursday, the NHRC claimed that the district administration had cremated the bodies of 33 persons without any post-mortem. Majority of the deceased were labourers, farmers, rickshaw-pullers and drivers, it said.

The hooch tragedy occurred in Gopalbari, Kharauni Lalpur, Bahrauli Masrakh under Madhaura police station in November last year.

The incident was highlighted by the opposition leaders in Bihar, after which a 10-member NHRC team visited the affected area for three days. The team had visited on December 21-23 last year and interacted with the family members of the victims who have lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

The report further said that the majority of the victims were breadwinners of their families and recommended for compensation to the affected people.

It also said the liquor ban failed in the state.

--IANS
ajk/svn/

Kolkata, March 23 (IANS) Former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, on Thursday, made an explosive allegation that a number of CPI(M) and BJP leaders asked him for favours in the recruitment when he was a minister.

He especially named the current leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, BJP's national vice-president and Lok Sabha member Dilip Ghosh, and CPI(M) central committee member and former leader of legislative party in Assembly, Sujan Chakraborty.

"Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghosh and Sujan Chakraborty are making tall allegations about the teacher's recruitment scam. They should look at themselves. They asked me for favours in recruitment. I refused and clearly told them I will not be able to render any help on this count since I did not have any recruitment authority. Then they approached other people also," Chatterjee said.

He said this when he was brought on Thursday morning to a special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for hearing in the multi-crore scam on recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run schools.

Commenting on Chatterjee's allegations, Trinamool Congress's state general secretary and party spokesman in West Bengal, Kunal Ghosh said that since the former state education minister had made these allegations the central agencies should take the three named in custody and question them together with Partha Chatterjee.

Dilip Ghosh rubbished the allegations and said, "Actually, he got habituated with a luxury life though ill-gotten wealth and enjoying the company of multiple girlfriends. Now being behind the bars for so many days he is completely out of mind."

Sujan Chakraborty claimed that this was a deliberate ploy to divert attention from the main issue and falsely involved his name. "However, this game will not work out," he said.

Till the report was filed there was no comment from Suvendu Adhikari on this count.

Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on July 23, 2022, and has been in jail since then.

--IANS
src/dpb

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Congress party on Thursday said that sentencing of MP Rahul Gandhi to two years of jail by a Surat district court in a defamation case is an attempt to "influence" the judiciary and that "democracy is in danger".

"There is an attempt to suppress the media, there is an attempt to influence the judiciary and they are taking action against the people of different political parties at this level," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said while reacting on the development.

"We keep saying our democracy is in danger as there is pressure on judiciary, ECI, ED and they're all misused. All decisions are made under influence. Such comments are common. Rahul Gandhi is a courageous man and only he can compete with NDA government," Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that he will speak on the matter only after seeing the order.

"I'll see the details of the order before I say anything. Whatever Rahul Gandhi speaks, it always affects Congress party and the entire nation in a negative way. Some Congress MPs told me that because of his attitude, Congress is suffering," Rijiju told mediapersons outside Parliament.

Earlier in the day, the Surat District Court sentenced Gandhi to two years jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him for his alleged "Modi surname" remarks.

Moments later, the court granted him bail, and stayed its order for a period of 30 days so the Congress leader can appeal in a higher court.

--IANS
ans/svn/

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that they will appeal in higher courts against the conviction of Rahil Gandhi.

In a tweet (in Hindi) he said, "Coward, dictator BJP government is rattled by Rahul Gandhi and the opposition because we are exposing their bad deeds by demanding JPC. Modi government has gone politically bankrupt. It sends ED, police and lodges cases against speeches.

"We will appeal in higher courts."

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H.H. Varma sentenced him to two years in jail and also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 after finding him guilty.

However, on Rahul Gandhi's plea, his sentence has been suspended and bail has been granted to enable him to move an appeal against his conviction within 30 days.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname...?" remark.

--IANS
miz/dpb

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Responding to the Gujarat court's decision on Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a criminal defamation case, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "we respect the court, but do not agree with the verdict'.

In a tweet he said, "There is a conspiracy to eliminate non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them. We have differences with the Congress, but it is not right to implicate Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case like this. It is the job of the public and the opposition to ask questions. We respect the court but disagree with the decision".

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, "This is the new India. If you raise your voice against injustice, then ED-CBI, Police, FIR will be imposed on everyone.

"Rahul Gandhi ji is also being punished for speaking the truth, for raising his voice against the dictator. The law of the country gives an opportunity to appeal to Rahul Gandhi, he will exercise this right. We are not afraid," he added in the same tweet.

--IANS
avr/dpb

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Rahul Gandhi in his first reaction after being convicted by a Surat court on Thursday said, "my religion is truth".

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Rahul said in a tweet in Hindi, "My religion is based on truth and non-violence, truth is my God, and non-violence is a way to achieve it."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted (in Hindi) and said, "The fearful powers are using all methods to down the voice of Rahul Gandhi, but my brother has never been afraid. We have lived while speaking the truth and will always speak the truth and raise voice for the nation."

She said that Rahul's strength is the power of truth and the crores of people behind him.

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

Gandhi was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname..." remark.

--IANS
miz/dpb