Germany said today that “fundamental democratic principles” should apply in the case of Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after being convicted of defamation.
“We have taken note of Rahul Gandhi’s first-instance conviction and the suspension of his parliamentary mandate,” the statement reads. According to what we know, Mr. Gandhi has the right to appeal the decision, a foreign ministry of Germany spokeswoman said at a press conference.
“It will then be clear whether this verdict will be upheld and whether the suspension of his mandate is justified,” she added.
According to the spokesperson, Germany anticipates that “standards of judicial independence and fundamental democratic principles” will be applied in the case.
In response to Germany’s remarks, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that India will not tolerate foreign meddling in domestic affairs.
“Remember, foreign interference cannot influence the Indian judiciary.” “India will no longer tolerate ‘foreign influence’ because our Prime Minister is: Shri Narendra Modi Ji (sic),” Mr Rijiju tweeted.
The US stated earlier this week that it is keeping an eye on the Rahul Gandhi case and that it is continuing to communicate with the Indian government about its shared commitment to democratic values, such as freedom of expression.
We are following Mr Gandhi’s (Rahul Gandhi) case in Indian courts because respect for the rule of law and judicial independence are essential components of any democracy, according to US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, was disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) last week, effective from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case stemming from his “Modi surname” remark. Rahul Gandhi was a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Wayanad.
Mr Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case for his remark about the ‘Modi surname’ made during an election rally in Karnataka in 2019.
Rahul Gandhi remarked “how come all the thieves have Modi as a common surname” during a Lok Sabha election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, in April 2019. Purnesh Modi, a BJP MLA from Surat West, filed a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi.
