“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scared of my next speech which would have been suicidal for them as I would have exposed the Adani-Modi relationship… I shall expose this nexus anyway…”, were the words of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who held a Press conference short while ago. Entire media was waiting for a Press briefing since Friday (yesterday), when the news of termination of MP ship came into light.

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname by a court in Gujarat’s Surat. Let’s first understand the entire incident. RaGa who is the MP from Wayanad in Karnataka made the remarks while addressing a rally in the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The allegation that had created furore among the Saffron supporters was targeting PM Modi over his last name which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case for saying “How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?” However, the court granted RaGa bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision.

Before talking about the Press briefing and what RaGa said, let’s have a quick recap of the sequence of events since Friday:

1. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as Lok Sabha MP in the Parliament.
2. The Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification informed that the disqualification was effective from March 23, the day of his conviction.
3. Lok Sabha Secretariat further informed the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat falls vacant.
4. Rahul Gandhi would have to vacate the official bungalow within a stipulated time period.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi held a Press meet and faced the media that was bustling with question. RaGa replied all the questions with calm and ease. Some of the excerpts from the Press meet:

1. RaGa alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi of allegedly backing Adani. “For this government, country is Adani and Adani is country,” said Rahul said this entire episode was to silence the voice of Congress. RaGa demanded a reply from Pm Modi, “Who’s Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani’s shell companies?”
2. Replying to Wayand, Rahul said, “I have decided to write a letter to the people of my constituency and explain why I am not able to serve them as a MP after this but will also tell them that my crusade will be on against exposing the corrupt in the system”.
3. RaGa said he is not bothered over the disqualification as to reach out to people with truth he doesn’t require to a MP, he shall reach out to people in his own way.
4. When asked on Other Backward Class (OBC) issue during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, he claimed that allegations were totally false and he never insulted OBC.
5. “My job is to defend the democratic nature of the country which means defending the institutions of the country, defending the voice of the poor people of the country and telling people the truth about people like Adani who are exploiting the relationship they have with the PM”, said Rahul.
6. RaGa also accused the media of not focusing the issues of opposition as they used to do in the past.

Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on some of the reporters who asked question with a BJP angle. “Why don’t you put the party badge on your shirt. I shall reply to you but please don’t pretend to be a Pressman. Did the BJP tell you to do so”. Reacting to the questions of a popular television journalist, RaGa said, “Allow me to speak unless you decide to reply on my behalf, I know you do this too”.

When asked on the support of Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), Rahul Gandhi thanked the opposition parties and said togather they would oust the BJP. However, RaGa and Congress should now be more careful in choosing friends especially before going with alliances like Trinamool.

Today’s Press conference will definitely have a strong reaction from the BJP which I am sure is gearing up to give a Press briefing any moment. Opposition will have to do a good homework as Rahul’s conviction “I shall expose the Adani-Modi relationship in coming days and will prove what ever I said was not concocted but on facts”.  “I will keep asking questions on Adani issue, I won’t stop as it’s my conviction towards my countrymen”, said Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress plans to hold nationwide agitations demanding a reply on Adani issue from PM Modi. Security has been beefed up across the country especially at strategic locations.