Adhir Chowdhury hands over SC order, letter to LS secretariat for Rahul's reinstatement

New Delhi: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday delivered the court order and a letter requesting Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, a day after the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of the senior Congress leader in a 2019 criminal defamation case, paving the way for the restoration of his Lok Sabha membership.

However, he expressed regret that Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement had not been handled by the Lok Sabha secretariat with the same speed and alacrity with which it had removed him from the House in March following his conviction by a Surat court. The Congress wants Rahul Gandhi to participate in the no-confidence vote that will be discussed on Tuesday, Indian Express reported.

Chowdhury urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to reinstate Rahul Gandhi's membership shortly after the Supreme Court's decision was released on Friday. The Speaker had informed Chowdhury that he would take a call as soon as his office received the Supreme Court's order.

“After I received the court order, I called the Speaker Friday night. I told him that I wanted to hand over the Supreme Court order staying the conviction of Rahul Gandhi and also submit our letter. I sought time to meet him. He told me that he would meet me on Saturday,” Chowdhury told reporters.

“I called him on Saturday morning. I spoke to him. He advised me to contact the Lok Sabha Secretary General and hand over the document to his office. I called the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General said his office is shut today as it was a holiday. I asked who should I give the letter to then? He told me to give it to the Speaker which will reach him through the Speaker’s office,” Chowdhury said.

“I told the Secretary-General to at least get the letter received. He said it was a holiday. What if it is a holiday… there should be some system to receive the letter in emergency situations. He said there is a system. He said there is a dak (post) system and asked me to send someone with the letter and order. I sent the letter… an Under Secretary received it. Although he signed, he did not affix the seal,” he said.

“When the Court has given Rahul Gandhi relief… My request to the Speaker and his office is that there should not be any difficulty in his return to the House,” Chowdhury said, adding that he had sent the Supreme Court's ruling, the letter he had written to the Speaker demanding Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement, and the notification the Lok Sabha Secretariat had issued in March dismissing Rahul Gandhi.

“I have done all that is required according to the rules… on behalf of my party…” he said, adding that “the speed with which Rahul Gandhi was disqualified… his reinstatement should happen with the same speed.”

Asked whether he was suspecting a deliberate delay, he said, “I have no intention to put the Speaker in the dock. I have the highest respect for the Speaker. I am only asking for our rights. I am not asking for any separate facility. I am not asking for anything else.”

“Now the decision is up to the Speaker and the Secretary-General. If they want to seek advice… consult someone… the Law Minister… they can do… but reinstate Gandhi before Monday when the House meets after the weekend break… The alacrity with which Rahul Gandhi was disqualified… we did not say anything then… the day he was asked to vacate his house… that day was also a holiday… today is also a holiday…” he said.

“There is no suspicion. Everybody should abide by the Court’s order… since it (reinstatement) has not happened so far… We are a bit restless… It is not rocket science, nuclear science, or satellite science… It is a matter of seconds… they just have to draft a letter reinstating him,” he added.