Ordinance to shield convicted leaders is complete nonsense, tear it up: Rahul, Congress, Rahul Gandhi, political news, Latest and political news, latest news today.
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- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 20:49
Ordinance to shield convicted leaders is complete nonsense, tear it up: Rahul.
New Delhi: In a surprise move Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi openly opposed the ordinance to protect convicted legislators which had been cleared just two days ago by the Union Cabinet. Making a sudden appearance at a Congress press conference in the Delhi press Club, Rahul Gandhi said, "The ordinance is a complete nonsense, should be torn and thrown away."
"All parties do this because of political considerations and we must stop making compromises," Rahul said before making the statement that the ordinance should be torn up and thrown away. He then quickly left the press conference without taking any questions.
The remarks came as an embarrassment for the Congress as the Union Cabinet had passed the ordinance on Tuesday over-ruling Supreme Court's judgement. Rahul's statement is surprising considering the government could not have cleared the ordinance without consulting the party which is headed by himself and his mother Sonia Gandhi.
Just before Rahul para dropped at the press conference, Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken was defending the ordinance. "I think the ordinance was brought up by many wise and experienced leaders. As far as the differences in opinion within the Congress is concerned, I think it shows that we respect internal democracy. Everybody is entitled to having his own opinion.
" Earlier, several party leaders like Sandeep Dikshit, Milind Deora and Anil Shastri also spoke out against the ordinance. Sandeep Dikshit said, "While I believe that the ordinance that has now come and has kind of clarified many of them but I personally believe that it is something that should initially go to the standing committee.
" The Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party have already met President Pranab Mukherjee asking him not to sign the ordinance. SC order on convicted politicians: The Supreme Court in a landmark ruling on July 10, 2013 had struck down the legal provision that protects a lawmaker from disqualification even after conviction in a criminal case. The Supreme Court ruled that MPs or MLAs shall stand disqualified from holding the membership of the house from the date of conviction in a trial court.
source:ibnlive