Responding to a media query about Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel noted that the US is “watching Mr. Gandhi’s case in Indian courts.”
He said Washington would engage with New Delhi to reaffirm their “shared commitment to democratic values,” including the freedom of expression.
The US continues to emphasise the importance of democratic principles and human rights during its engagements with India, Patel stressed.
The American official also noted that it is “normal and standard” for the US to engage with opposition parties in countries with which it has bilateral partnerships. However, he did not mention any specific engagements with Rahul Gandhi planned in the coming future.
#WATCH | "Respect for rule of law & judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy. We’re watching Mr Gandhi’s case in Indian court .... ":Vedant Patel, US Principal Dy Spokesperson on defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over his 'Modi surname' remark pic.twitter.com/WFUaAcBWd0
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2023
Similarly, last week, UN chief Antonio Guterres said that the world body was aware of the controversy and the INC’s decision to appeal.
Pressure Builds on Rahul Gandhi
A day after his conviction by a Surat Court last Thursday, the Indian National Congress (INC) leader Rahul Gandhi was also disqualified as a Member of Parliament. The case was regarding Gandhi’s statement in the run-up to the 2019 election, where he said that “all thieves have Modi as [their] common surname.”
Following the court’s order, the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s Deputy Secretary Mohit Ranjan intimated to Gandhi that he could only retain the official house allocated to him as an MP for a month after disqualification. As a result, he will have to leave the bungalow by 22 April.
#StatecraftInTheNews: 🇮🇳 A #Surat court convicted #Gandhi for a comment made in the run-up to the 2019 elections, when he said, “Why do all these thieves have #Modi as their surname? #NiravModi, #LalitModi, #NarendraModi.”
— Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) March 27, 2023
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson justified Gandhi's conviction as “due judicial process.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi vowed to “do whatever” he could to “defend the democratic nature” of the country. Lashing out against the ruling BJP party, he said, “they are used to everybody being scared of them [but] I am not scared of them.”
Opposition Protests
The INC has called the conviction a politically motivated move that sought to silence Rahul Gandhi for speaking the “truth” about the Modi government. For instance, INC leader Pramod Tiwari said the move was evidence of “BJP hatred” against Gandhi.
On Saturday, the INC organised protests across several cities to oppose Gandhi’s disqualification. Demonstrations occurred in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. Several INC members wore black clothes outside the Lok Sabha in New Delhi to condemn the conviction and disqualification
.@INCMaharashtra held a protest in Nagpur today, led by PCC President Shri @NANA_PATOLE.
— Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2023
The state-level Sankalp Satyagraha was organised against the dictatorial regime of the BJP and their unjust practices. pic.twitter.com/W0xHjnLoB0
Adani Under Scrutiny
Gandhi’s conviction comes as Indian PM Narendra Modi’s friendship with businessman Gautam Adani is under scrutiny after a Hindenburg report accused the billionaire of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi has demanded a parliamentary investigation into the allegations. Speaking to the press about his disqualification, Gandhi said, “I have been disqualified because the [PM] is scared of the next speech that is going to come on Adani. I will continue to ask the question – what is the [PM’s] relationship with Mr Adani?”