US says it's watching Rahul Gandhi's case after MP disqualification
What's the story
The United States (US) is watching the court case of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, US State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday, according to PTI. Notably, Gandhi, who was an MP from Wayanad in Kerala, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha last week after a Surat court sentenced him to two years in prison in a 2019 defamation case.
Statement
Respect for law cornerstone of democracy: Patel
Responding to a question regarding Gandhi's expulsion from the Parliament at a media briefing, Patel said, "Respect for the rule of law and judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy." "We are watching Mr. Gandhi's case in Indian courts and we engage with the Government of India on our shared commitment to democratic values, including freedom of expression," he added.
Case
Gandhi asked to vacate government bungalow
On Monday, the Lok Sabha Housing Committee reportedly asked Gandhi to vacate his government-allotted bungalow by April 22. This came days after the Congress leader was found guilty of criminal defamation for his comments on PM Narendra Modi's surname. During an election campaign in 2019, Gandhi said, "Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi... How come all the thieves have Modi as a common surname?"