KTR calls Speaker’s ruling an attack on democracy, holds Rahul Gandhi responsible

BRS working president KT Rama Rao criticised the Congress government and Assembly Speaker over the dismissal of disqualification petitions against 10 defected MLAs, accusing Rahul Gandhi of orchestrating the verdict. He termed it undemocratic and said BRS would explore legal and political options.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao mounted a scathing attack on the Congress government and the Assembly Speaker over dismissal of the disqualification petitions against 10 defected MLAs, holding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi directly responsible for the verdict. He termed the decision undemocratic, cruel and a direct assault on the Constitution.

Speaking to the media at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao said the Speaker acted under severe political pressure and the decision was part of a larger plan directed by the Congress high command. The Speaker could not have acted independently without the approval of the national leadership, he said, stating that Rahul Gandhi was the main force behind the entire episode. The verdict has exposed the hollowness of the Anti-Defection law and reduced constitutional safeguards to mere formalities, he said, questioning how a legislator elected on one party’s ticket could contest the Lok Sabha election on another party’s symbol and then not face disqualification.

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“The manner in which the petitions were rejected has exposed the double standards in Rahul Gandhi’s claims of defending the Constitution,” he said, pointing out that the evidence of defection was in public domain and did not require prolonged inquiry, yet the proceedings were delayed for months only to end in favour of the defectors. He felt that the Assembly proceedings were turned into a political exercise and the ruling effectively legitimised defections instead of examining them under the law.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Rama Rao said the Congress leader often projected himself as a vanguard of constitutional values but remained silent when his own party violated them. Those who lectured others on democratic principles were themselves encouraging unethical political practices, he said, demanding that Rahul Gandhi explain how the Anti-Defection law could be ignored despite clear evidence. Accusing him of practising one set of principles in public and another in politics, he went on to call Rahul Gandhi the biggest joker in the country for making a mockery of democracy and the Constitution.
Recalling earlier instances of defections during Congress rule, Rama Rao said the party had a long history of encouraging political crossovers when it suited its interests and therefore had no moral right to speak against defections in other States.
“The Speaker’s ruling will go down as one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the State legislature, as it ignored visible and undisputed evidence of defections,” he said, adding that however, the issue would not end with the Speaker’s decision. The BRS would continue to raise the issue politically and was exploring legal options to pursue it in the courts.