Rahul says he isn’t Savarkar, won’t apologise

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that he was not Veer Savarkar and will not apologise.

"I am a Gandhi and not Savarkar and Gandhis do not apologise," he said at a press conference here a day after his expulsion from Parliament following his conviction in a defamation case.

The former Wayanad MP thanked the opposition for the support and said his disqualification will be a weapon against the Narendra Modi-led Central government.

"I am happy that they have given the best gift ever."

He went on to say that the "country has given me love and respect" and alleged that his disqualification is because the Prime Minister is scared of his next speech in Parliament.

The senior leader further said that he will continue doing his work and that it does "not matter if I am inside the Parliament or not. I will keep fighting for the country".

He said that his disqualification is directly related to the Prime Minister who does not want him to speak about his relationship with the Adani Group.

Rahul said that the public knows that Gautam Adani is corrupt and now the question is that why Modi is saving him from all the investigations.

He also said that he is not scared and will not stop asking questions about the alleged relationship.

"I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies. I am not scared of prison sentence, disqualification and others.. I am not that type of person and thay do not understand me.

"I am not going to back down and will stick on the principle and even if I am disqualified for life, then also I will keep raising questions and fight for the people," he added.

"My voice is being suppressed," Rahul Gandhi said and claimed that he spoke to the Speaker against the false accusations made by four ministers but was not allowed to speak.

Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as member of Lok Sabha a day after conviction in the 2019 "Modi surname" defamation case.

The Gandhi scion who represents Wayanad parliamentary constituency of Kerala was disqualified under provisions of Article 102 (1) (e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of Representation of the People's Act.

On Thursday, he was sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in the case filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi.