Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as Lok Sabha MP was against the basic tenets of the Constitution and was a "condemnable" move which highlighted the curtailment of democratic values, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.
Gandhi, representing Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat.
He was, on Thursday, sentenced to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remarks at a 2019 poll rally in Karnataka. However, the Surat court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
The NCP chief also referred to the disqualification of his party MP from Lakshadweep Mohammed Faizal P P following the latter's conviction in an attempt to murder case. Faizal's conviction was later suspended by the Kerala High Court.
"The disqualification of Mr Rahul Gandhi and Mr Faizal a few months ago as MPs of the Lok Sabha are against the basic tenets of the constitution, where democratic values are being curtailed. This is condemnable and against the very principles on which the constitution is based," Pawar tweeted.
"Our constitution guarantees the right of each Individual to fair justice; liberty of thought; equality of status and opportunity and fraternity assuring the dignity of each Indian. #RahulGandhi,” Pawar further said in a series of tweets.
"We all need to stand together to defend our democratic institutions," he added.
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