NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s top court on Friday suspended opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case, enabling him to return to parliament and contest national elections due next year.
Following are some reactions from lawmakers and politicians:
K.C.
VENUGOPAL, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS
“Justice has prevailed. No force can silence the voice of the people.”
MEHBOOBA MUFTI, PRESIDENT, JAMMU AND KASHMIR PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY
“I welcome the Supreme Court verdict staying Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a case that had no legs to stand upon.
Glad that he will be back in Parliament fighting for the idea of India..”
P. CHIDAMBARAM, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS
“The Supreme Court’s order today is a vindication of the argument that we have consistently pressed before every court — from the trial court to the Supreme Court … We maintain that the case was manufactured with the sole intention of keeping Mr Rahul Gandhi from Parliament.”
(Reporting by Shivam Patel, Blassy Boben in New Delhi; editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
