"Typifies current Congress party...," Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar over "chop off judge's tongue" comment
Apr 08, 2023
New Delhi [India], April 8 : Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday lashed out at Tamil Nadu Congress president's remark threatening to chop off the tongue of the judge who delivered the verdict sentencing Rahul Gandhi to jail.
He pointed out that the remark indicated that the Congress party is full of "this type of lumpen element".
Congress Dindigul district president, Manikandan during a protest on April 6 allegedly threatened to chop off the tongue of the judge who delivered the verdict against Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 criminal defamation case.
"This typifies and describes the current Congress party - a far cry from the day when it had leaders who were statesmen - it is now full of this type of lumpen element or who is Tamil Nadu state party PRESIDENT or liars under the 5 foreign visits/month Rahul Gandhi," tweeted Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
"This is a party where its shameless joker leader screeches abt foreign countries/governments saving India's democracy, whilst wanting to cut the tongue of judges. This whole lot wud be better off in some Shangrila like Pakistan or China or some shining example of a dispensation where tongues are cut when u dont like a legal outcome," he tweeted.
"When we will come to power, we will chop off the tongue of the judge who delivered the verdict to send our leader Rahul Gandhi to jail," said Manikandan, Congress Dindigul district president during a protest organised by the party on April 6.
The Dindigul Police on Saturday said it has registered a case against Manikandan over his controversial remark.
"A case has been registered against Congress leader Manikandan under three sections of IPC including 153B for his remarks. An investigation is underway," officials said.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that this is not happening for the first time and the grand old party before Emergency had attacked the Judiciary.
"This is not happening for the first time that Congress is threatening the judiciary. Even before the Emergency, the Congress people attacked the Judiciary. They are doing it now also because they are frustrated. We believe in the Constitution," said Rijiju.
Rahul Gandhi had lost membership of the Lower House of Parliament after a Surat court convicted and sentenced him in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The case pertained to a remark he made using the surname 'Modi' while addressing a campaign event ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The matter pertains to Rahul's remarks at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar in April 2019, Rahul, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?".
Following his conviction, Rahul was disqualified as an MP on March 24, as per a Supreme Court ruling in 2013. Under the ruling, any MP or MLA stands to be disqualified automatically if convicted and sentenced to two years or more.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat on March 27 issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi, asking him to vacate his government bungalow following his disqualification as an MP.
As per the notice, the allotment of his government bungalow will be cancelled with effect from April 24.
