Rahul's disqualification 'betrayal of Gandhian philosophy', says Ro Khanna

New York, March 25

Top Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said the expulsion of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Parliament is a "deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy".

Taking to Twitter on Friday, the Democratic Congressman said: "The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and India's deepest values. This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for."

Flagging off Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet, Khanna said "you have the power to reverse this decision for the the sake of Indian democracy".

The tweet came as a reation to a New York Times report, which said that "the expulsion of Rahul Gandhi is a devastating blow to the once-powerful Indian National Congress party".

The report further stated that the senior Congress leader and "several other politicians are now in jeopardy through India's legal system".

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after a Surat court convicted him for two years in a defamation case.

He has been granted a 30-day bail in the case to allow him appeal in a higher court.

"I am fighting for the voice of India and am ready to pay any price," Rahul had tweeted in Hindi reacting to his disqualification.

"We will fight this 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," Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, wrote in a tweet.