P Chidambaram, a former Union Minister and legal expert, has criticized the speed at which Rahul Gandhi’s defamation case was processed and his subsequent disqualification from parliament. Chidambaram stated that the sentence of 2 years for slander was highly unusual and cited an obscure law. He further questioned why there was no lapse of time between Gandhi’s guilty verdict and sentence, stating the need for considerations such as precedents, similar cases, the enormity of the expression, and possible rival interpretation. The former Union Minister argued that such a quick sentencing showed a clear intent to silence a member of the opposition. Meanwhile, the disqualification law in parliament mandates a 2-year jail term for disqualification unless the case involves national security. The party plans to question the legitimacy of the verdict and the sentence in the district court. In 2019, Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case for his remarks about Prime Minister Modi’s surname during the Lok Sabha polls campaign.
