Congress Blames BJP, RSS for 18 'Politically Motivated' Cases Against Rahul Gandhi, Says He Has 'Distinguished' Electoral Record

The Congress has blamed the BJP and the RSS for filing 18 “politically motivated” cases against Rahul Gandhi and said that in many cases, the charges have not been framed by courts. Congress has also termed Rahul Gandhi as a leader with a “long and distinguished political and electoral track record”.

News18 has accessed a five-page affidavit filed by the Congress regarding Rahul Gandhi’s nomination from Wayanad as the party candidate.

Every party, as per guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI), has to list out cases and give reasons why it has given a particular candidate a ticket if he or she faces criminal cases. The affidavit filed by the Congress party lists out 18 cases against Rahul Gandhi, and says he has been convicted in one of these cases for criminal defamation in a Gujarat court last year in April. Rahul had to lose his Lok Sabha membership due to being convicted for a two-year term in this case before his sentence was stayed by the Supreme Court last August and he was re-instated as an MP.

“The cases filed (against Rahul Gandhi) are politically motivated cases by BJP/RSS members where, in the vast majority, even charges have not been framed,” the Congress affidavit says.

Justifying a ticket to Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad, the party has said that he has a long and distinguished political and electoral track record. “He has – in the past – served as a consecutive four term MP from two different states and as General Secretary, Vice President and later President of the Indian National Congress. The candidate has deep organisational, political and electoral experience. Moreover as a senior party leader (former National President) with wide and deep experience no other individuals with commensurate experience could be identified,” the party has said, justifying why no other candidate could be out up from Wayanad.

Among the cases pending against Rahul Gandhi are a case under POCSO for revealing the identity of a minor victim, and various other cases in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The party has listed out the status of all 18 cases, saying that in most cases the trial has been stayed by courts or the same has been challenged by Rahul Gandhi.