Not scared of threats, prison sentences, says Rahul Gandhi on disqualification

NEW DELHI: A day after he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that democracy is under attack and that he is "not scared to ask questions about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group".

He made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Delhi.

"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.

He also alleged that the "relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani is not new".

"I will not stop asking questions about whose money is the Rs 20,000 crore that has come out from shell companies," he added.

The senior Congress leader further said that he is here to defend the voice of the nation, adding: "I am not scared of prison sentence disqualification and others I am not that type of person and they do not understand me.

"I am not going to back down and will be on the principle."

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.

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