Protests by Congress against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification not good for democracy: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sarma also objected to protests by Congress MLAs wearing black dress against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday stated that the protest by Congress leaders and workers against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as a member of Lok Sabha is not good for democracy as the same was done as per a judgement of the Supreme Court in 2013.

Sarma said this during the ongoing budget session of the Assam Assembly while opposing an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition Congress seeking a discussion on the issue of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha membership.

"Rahul Gandhi was disqualified after a court in Surat convicted him. And the Lok Sabha Speaker disqualified him as per a judgement of the Supreme Court in July 2013. If a court convicts me tomorrow, will the BJP MLAs wear black dress and protest? We will not. We will go to the High Court or the Supreme Court and file an appeal against the judgement. But we will never defy the judiciary. The stand taken by Congress after Rahul Gandhi's disqualification is not good for Indian democracy," Sarma said.

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"Do you want to criticise the SC judgement or do you want to criticise the judgement of the court in Surat? The court may be wrong in its judgement. But there is a judicial process laid down to challenge the judgement. Judiciary is a double-edged sword. Sometimes you will get a judgement in favour and sometimes against. But just because a judgement was against us, will we protest? Will you come for an adjournment motion? In the past 75 years of democracy, we have never criticised a verdict of the Supreme Court in the Assembly."

Sarma also objected to the protests by Congress MLAs wearing black dress against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification.

Sarma said the adjournment motion was unjustifiable as Rahul Gandhi himself had welcomed the Supreme Court verdict in 2013 and had even facilitated the withdrawal of an Ordinance passed by the Congress-led UPA government in August 2013, which sought to bar immediate disqualification of a convicted MP. "When Rahul Gandhi himself accepted the Supreme Court verdict for immediate disqualification of a convicted MP, why are the Congress workers protesting today?" Sarma asked.