Kiren Rijiju, Union Law and Justice Minister, slammed the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday for inviting foreign powers to intervene in India’s internal affairs, saying “remember, Indian Judiciary can’t be influenced by foreign interference. India won’t tolerate ‘foreign influence’ anymore because our Prime Minister is Narendra Modi.”
“Thank you Rahul Gandhi for inviting foreign powers for interference into India’s internal matters. Remember, Indian Judiciary can’t be influenced by foreign interference. India won’t tolerate ‘foreign influence’ anymore because our Prime Minister is:- Shri @narendramodi Ji,” tweeted the Minister.
Rijiju reacted to Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s tweet which thanked the German Foreign Affairs Ministry and Richard Walker for taking note of how Democracy is being compromised in India through the persecution of Rahul Gandhi who was recently disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha.
German Foreign Ministry spokesperson recently made comments on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification episode and stated that “It is taking note of verdict, suspension from parliament appeal will show whether verdict stands & suspension has basis and expects standards of judicial independence & democratic principles to apply”.
The All India Bar Association (AIBA) recently stated that the Lok Sabha Secretariat made a mistake by disqualifying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha membership without referring the matter to the President of India under Article 103 of the Indian Constitution, and that Rahul Gandhi was not given the opportunity to be heard.
The AIBA applauds the Surat Chief Judicial Magistrate Court’s decision in the case because it emphasises the constitutional right to free expression. The order against Rahul Gandhi simply emphasises the importance of free speech, but with responsibility.
Adish C Aggarwala, senior advocate and Chairman of AIBA, stated in a statement that the fundamental right to free expression is not unfettered and has been tempered by restrictions. Every ordinary person, political parties, and public figures, such as Rahul Gandhi, should be aware of this. Speeches written with limitations and responsibilities in mind save a lot of national resources.
According to Aggarwala, former Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of India and Supreme Court Bar Association, AIBA urges all political leaders and public figures to deliver speeches with a sense of responsibility and without offending anyone’s cherished feelings on this occasion.
However, while the court did its duty by adhering to the Constitution and legal precedents, the Lok Sabha Secretariat should have followed the procedure outlined in Article 103 of the Constitution rather than issuing a disqualification notification on the same day as the judgement, according to the AIBA statement.