Rahul Gandhi
'BJP can take my house, put me in jail, but can't stop me': Rahul Gandhi in former constituency Wayanad
New Delhi/IBNS: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday visited his former constituency in Kerala's Wayanad for the first time since his disqualification as an MP from the Lok Sabha.
Joined by his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi was seen waving to his supporters during a roadshow called 'Satyameva Jayate' in Kalpetta town.
"They (BJP) can take my house and put me in jail, but they can't stop me from representing the people of Wayanad and their issues," he said at a rally.
Rahul made it clear that snatching away an MP tag cannot change his intention to represent the people of Wayanad.
"Member of Parliament is a tag. It is a post. So, BJP can take away the tag, the post, the house, and they can even jail me, but they cannot stop me from representing the people of Wayanad.
"I am surprised that even after so many years, BJP has not understood its opponent. They do not understand that their opponent will not get intimidated. They think I will get scared by sending police to my house or that I will be disturbed if my house is taken away," he said.
Stressing that he has been fighting the BJP for "quite a few years", Rahul said they have been unable to understand his struggle, "that their opponent doesn't get intimidated, doesn't get scared with police".
On him having to vacate his official residence in Delhi following his disqualification, Rahul said he was "happy they took my house".
"I don't like to live there," he said, adding that he has seen how many people in Wayanad lost their houses in the floods and how they fought.
"Four years ago, I came here and became an MP and for me, the campaign was a different type of campaign. In the regular campaign, you go and speak about policies and what should happen. But in 2014, this campaign was different.
"There was affection and Kerala made me feel a part of the family and as their son. I thought quite a lot, and I've been an MP for a few years now. MP means to be a people's representative, you have to understand the emotions, sufferings, and needs of people," he said.
Rahul's roadshow was joined by hundreds of United Democratic Front (Congress-led state opposition alliance) workers who lined up holding the Indian flag.
Many people across all age groups could be seen gathered on the roadside to welcome the Congress leader as he travelled to the public meeting venue on a truck accompanied by his sister and senior party leaders from Kerala.
Rahul was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a Surat court over a remark made during the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign, where the Congress leader had said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname."
A complaint, which was lodged by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Purnesh Modi, had claimed Rahul had defamed the entire Modi community.
The Surat court convicted Rahul to a two-year jail imprisonment. He is presently on bail.
After he was convicted, the Congress leader was disqualified by Parliament's lower house Lok Sabha.
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