Lakshwadeep's "former" MP, Mohammed Faizal of Nationalist Congress Party, on Friday questioned the treatment of opposition parliamentarians are being handled, saying that how the Narendra Modi government does things is "rather strange".
"Just see the speed at how things go, when within hours after the Surat court conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case came, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. In my case, it was on January 11 when the Kavaratti Sessions Court convicted me and it was on January 13, came the news that the Election Commission disqualified me and announced fresh polls to the Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency," Faizal told the media in wake of the news of Gandhi's disqualification.
"I then approached the Kerala High Court which stayed the Sessions Court judgement (January 25). But it is now close to two months and despite numerous representations to reinstate my Lok Sabha status, it has not happened. My leader Supriya Sule has met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha a few times to reinstate my status and till now nothing has happened. The speed to disqualify me and Gandhi took place so quickly, but just see my request for being reinstated is yet to happen. So this is targeting political opponents," he added.
It was on January 11 that the Kavaratti Sessions Court convicted four people, including Faizal, in an attempt to murder case of a Congress leader during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress leader was the son-in-law of former Union Minister and Congress veteran P.M. Sayeed who represented the island for several years till he passed away.
The same day, Faizal and the other accused were all put in a jail in Kerala's Kannur after bringing them by air from the island.
The very next day, Faizal approached the Kerala High Court challenging the trial court's order.
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