Congress leader Rahul Gandhi updated his Twitter bio after being disqualified as a Member of Parliament due to a conviction in a defamation case. In place of “Member of Parliament,” the bio now reads “Dis’Qualified MP.”
The change came after a court in Gujarat found him guilty of defamation for remarks implying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a criminal. Gandhi had alleged at a pre-election rally in Karnataka’s Kolar that “all thieves have Modi as the common surname.” This led to multiple defamation cases against him in various states.
Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership was cancelled following his conviction, and his Wayanad seat in Kerala is now vacant. The Congress party is holding a day-long protest across the country against his disqualification.
Although the court granted him bail for 30 days to appeal the verdict, Gandhi is yet to challenge the decision in a higher court.
The change in Gandhi’s Twitter bio is seen as a statement of defiance and an attempt to draw attention to his disqualification. Many of his supporters have praised the move on social media, while others have criticized it as disrespectful to the office of MP.
The Congress leader has not commented on the matter yet, but his party has issued a statement condemning the disqualification and calling for a review of the laws that led to it.
The case has once again raised questions about the use of defamation laws to silence political opponents in India and the need for greater protection of free speech.
