NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s parliament disqualified opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi as a lawmaker on Friday, a day after he was found guilty of defamation by a lower court. It is one of the highest profile disqualifications of a sitting lawmaker in the country.
Following are some reactions from lawmakers:
SHASHI THAROOR, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS
“I’m stunned by this action and by its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy.”
JAIRAM RAMESH, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS
“We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced.”
KIREN RIJIJU, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND MINISTER, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY
“Rahul Gandhi made very derogatory remark and disgraced an entire OBC (other backward class) Community. Shockingly, some Congress leaders are trying to defend it.”
(Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; editing by Barbara Lewis)
