A day after he was disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a press conference today (March 25) at 1 pm, where he raked up his usual, over-used Adani-Modi rhetorics to claim that BJP has orchestrated this entire farce of his conviction and subsequent disqualification from the lower house to distract the people of India from the ‘real’ issue. The press conference was held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, where he was accompanied by Jairam Ramesh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Abhishek Singhvi and K C Venugopal.
LIVE: Press briefing by Shri @RahulGandhi at AICC HQ, New Delhi. https://t.co/9sLbsyijBt
— Congress (@INCIndia) March 25, 2023
Taking a dig at the central government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised the Adani issue and asked who’s money is in Adani-owned shell companies. “This is the whole drama that is been orchestrated to defend the Prime Minister from the simple question- Who’s Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani’s shell companies? I am not scared of these threats, disqualifications or prison sentences,” he added.
“I can see it in his eyes,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, as he claimed that PM Narendra Modi is scared of his next speech on Adani which is why he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who refused to answer whether he is remorseful of the remark he made on Modi’s surname in 2019, which led to his conviction and subsequent disqualification, continued to rant and rave against the businessman and his relationship with PM Modi.
He said that he will not stop and keep questioning the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani. “My speech made in Parliament was expunged, and later I wrote a detailed reply to the Lok Sabha Speaker. Some ministers lied about me, that I sought help from foreign powers. But there is no such thing I have done. I will not stop asking questions, I will keep questioning the relationship between PM Modi and Adani,” Gandhi added.
Rahul Gandhi humiliates and mocks journalists asking about his conviction
The press conference had been largely one-sided, with Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of silencing him over the Adani issue. However, when some reporters posed some probing questions concerning his defamation conviction which led to his expulsion, the Gandhi scion was spotted losing his mind.
When a journalist asked Rahul Gandhi about Congress CMs welcoming Gautam Adani and his investments in their states, Rahul Gandhi snapped at the journalist and warned him against ‘diverting the topic.’ Clearly ignoring the question posed to him, Rahul Gandhi went on to again accuse the Modi government of being hands-in-gloves with industrialist Gautam Adani.
At one point again, the Gandhi scion was seen losing his cool at another journalist who questioned him about his conviction in the ‘Modi surname’ case, adding that BJP has alleged that the remark was nothing short of an insult to the OBC and the socially oppressed classes of the country.
“Aap itne directly BJP ke liye kyun kaam kar rahe ho, thoda discretion se karo yaar. Thoda ghoom ghaam kar poocho. (How is it that you are so openly working from BJP, do it with some discretion. Don’t pose such direct questions, be diplomatic), he said.
“If you want to work for the BJP, bring a BJP symbol and wear it on your chest,” Rahul lambasted. “Don’t pretend to be a pressman…Kyun hawa nikal gayi?” he further mocked the journalist.
#WATCH | “Don’t pretend to be a pressman…Kyun hawa nikal gayi?”, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to a journalist questioning him on his conviction in ‘Modi surname’ case pic.twitter.com/SdaaUeraoy
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2023
While Rahul Gandhi continued his attempts to establish a relationship between the businessman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai attempted to interject, but the Gandhi scion coldly refused. He also said that Rajdeep Sardesai speaks for himself sometimes. “Please let me finish Rajdeep, unless you want to answer it for me, which you do sometimes,” he remarked.
Even Rahul Gandhi acknowledges that Rajdeep answers for him just like a Congress’ Spokesperson
— Hardik (@Humor_Silly) March 25, 2023
Congratulations @sardesairajdeep pic.twitter.com/bZ5ea2kgZj
When asked whether he would apologise for his 2019 remark, Rahul Gandhi retorted arrogantly, “I am a Gandhi and not Savarkar and Gandhis do not apologise.” It is notable that earlier he had tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for lying that the court had said ‘Chowkidar chor hain’.
Towards the end of the presser, Rahul Gandhi added that even if he is disqualified permanently, he will keep doing his work. “It does not matter if I am inside the Parliament or not. I will keep fighting for the country,” said Rahul Gandhi.
The press conference was held on the heels of Rahul Gandhi’s expulsion as a Lok Sabha member following his conviction and sentencing in the 2019 case.
The Background of the Case
On Thursday (March 23), Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Surat for his defamatory comments against people with the ‘Modi surname’ in a speech in 2019.
A criminal defamation case was filed by Gujarat BJP leader Purnesh Modi after Rahul Gandhi in an election rally had asked why everyone with the Modi surname is a thief, mentioning Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi.
Apart from the current disqualification, Rahul Gandhi will also not be able to contest the next general election, and also perhaps the 2029 elections, if the conviction is not overturned by a higher court. According to the law, the disqualification will continue for six years after release from jail.
