Rahul Gandhi disqualified from LS; Cong says will fight 'legally and politically', BJP terms action 'lawful'

The Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification said that it was effective from March 23, the day of his conviction

With a Surat court indicting him in a criminal defamation case on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha on Friday.

Reacting to Gandhi's disqualification, the Congress said it will fight the battle both "legally and politically".

"We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani MahaMegaScam Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said he was stunned by the action against Gandhi and by its rapidity. "This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy," Tharoor said in a tweet.

Defending Gandhi's disqualification, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice S P S Baghel termed it as "lawful" and asserted that "everyone is equal before law".

He also noted that a BJP MLA was also recently disqualified in Uttar Pradesh following his conviction in a criminal case.