The decision of Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh to disqualify Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, after a court in Surat sentenced him in a criminal defamation case, has evoked mixed response among the public in his constituency, Wayanad, where he won with a huge majority in the 2019 general elections.
“The quick move left us both surprised and disappointed,” A. Abdurahman, a pepper trader here, said. “Such moves will destroy the largest democracy in the world and tarnish the image of the country. It seems the conviction and the disqualification were aimed at suppressing the voice of the Opposition parties, but such a move would adversely affect the future of the country,” he said.
The other side
Vincent Choonat, a farmer at Pulpally, said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders had been targeting the Nehru family for many years, especially during election time. However, the judiciary or the police were yet to move against them legally, he pointed out.
“Sarcastic remarks are so common in Indian politics. Targeting a leader citing sarcasm as reason is sad and should be avoided, he added. “The disqualification will be a huge loss for the overall development of the district, especially for the farming community as many a time he had spoken in Parliament for the community. His interventions had yielded positive results,” he added.
K. Rasheed, an autorickshaw driver at Mananthavady, said the move would unify the Opposition and would reflect in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election.
‘Why use surname’
V. Ardra, a postgraduate student at Mullankolly, was of the opinion that the comment reportedly made by Mr. Gandhi, “Why do all thieves have the surname Modi,” during an election campaign in 2019, was uncalled for. “If he wanted to refer to a person specifically he could mention the name of the person, instead of using a surname that is common in the States of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh,” she said. But the punishment inflicted on him was quite unexpected and disappointing, she added.
Though Wayanad got a reputed national leader as its MP, the district did not benefit from it. Many a time his interventions did not give the desired results, said K. Surendran, a farmer leader from Varadoor.
