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New Delhi:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in a defamation case filed for commenting on the Modi surname.

Within 24 hours after the court's order, Rahul's membership of the Parliament was also canceled on Friday.

All this has happened because of a decision of the Supreme Court in 2013, to avoid which an ordinance was brought during the time of the then UPA government, which kept on coming into force only because of Rahul Gandhi.

10 years ago, Rahul Gandhi tore a copy of an ordinance of his own government.

Had that ordinance been implemented, perhaps Rahul Gandhi's membership of Parliament would not have been cancelled.

In fact, in 2013, the Supreme Court struck down Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The decision of the Supreme Court was famously known as Lily Thomas vs Union of India.

Kerala lawyer Lily Thomas filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act.

In this, there was a demand to cancel this provision.

It was argued in its favor that this section protects the membership of convicted MPs and MLAs, till the decision comes from the higher court.

The UPA government brought an ordinance


After this, the UPA government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought an ordinance as a counter to the Supreme Court's decision.

In the ordinance, at present, relief was provided for MPs and MLAs from disqualification after being sentenced in criminal cases.

Was this provision in the ordinance?


In the ordinance brought in 2013, a provision was made to give relief to the MLA or MP for 3 months after the punishment.

It was said in the ordinance that the convicted sitting MP / MLA cannot be disqualified for 3 months.

Along with this, if within these three months the sitting MP/MLA files an appeal within three months from the date of conviction, he cannot be disqualified till then;

until the decision on the appeal is made.

Rahul Gandhi tore the copy of the ordinance in the press conference.


The ordinance was passed by the Manmohan Singh-led cabinet and sent to the President for approval.

After this, Rahul Gandhi tore the copy of the ordinance in a press conference.

He called the ordinance complete nonsense.

Later this ordinance was withdrawn by the cabinet.

This decision of Rahul is criticized till date.

What did Rahul say on the ordinance?


The matter is of 27 September 2013.

Ajay Maken was holding a press conference in Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi comes in the middle of the press conference.

Then he used to be the Congress Vice President.

In the press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, "I have come here to express my opinion.

After that I will go back to my work.

I called Maken ji (Ajay Maken).

Asked him what is going on.

He said- I am going to talk to the press here.

I asked - what is going on.

He said- there is talk about the ordinance.

I asked what?

After this they started giving clarification.

I want to give you my opinion about this ordinance.

In my opinion it should be torn up and thrown away.”



The Congress eventually repealed the ordinance.

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