Rahul Gandhi convicted because he exposed scamsters: UP Congress leader

Tiwari also claimed important parts of the speeches made by Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in the House regarding Adani have been expunged from the records of the Parliament. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after he was convicted in a defamation case by a Surat court.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Friday alleged that the Narendra Modi government was targeting Rahul Gandhi because he exposed ''thieves and scamsters'' and stressed that the party will continue its fight for democracy with non-violent means.

''The Modi government is targeting Rahul Gandhi for exposing the thieves and scamsters. Congress will fight against it democratically and non-violently and register its victory,'' Pramod Tiwari told media here. ''Prime Minister Narendra Modi is strangling democracy to save his 'best friend' Adani. Rahul Gandhi has been targeted because he asked Modi ji about Adani but Congress will do everything to save democracy,'' he said. Tiwari also claimed important parts of the speeches made by Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in the House regarding Adani have been expunged from the records of the Parliament. Nine days after Rahul Gandhi gave a speech in the Parliament and questioned the government, the case of defamation against him became alive again, he said. ''Adani's shell companies have 20 thousand crore rupees. Whose black money is this? Whose shell companies are these? These companies are also working in the defence sector,'' he said. ''This is the first time in the history of independent India that the budget session of the Parliament is being disrupted by ministers and MPs of the ruling party. While the entire opposition wants a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) inquiry into this episode,'' Tiwari said. He said that in the history of independent India no one has been given a punishment of two years, the maximum, for defamation. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after he was convicted in a defamation case by a Surat court. A notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat had stated that he stood disqualified from the House from March 23, the day of his conviction.