Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who had to vacate his official residence following his disqualification as an MP, has got back his 12 Tughlaq Lane house. In March this year, Gandhi was disqualified following a conviction and two-year sentencing in a defamation case.
After conviction, the Congress leader was disqualified as a Member of Parliament and was asked to vacate his bungalow. However, the Supreme Court last Friday stayed the conviction following which he was reinstated as an MP.
"Mera ghar poora Hindustan hai," he said when asked for a reaction on getting back his official residence as an MP.
The news agency ANI reported that Gandhi has got an official confirmation from the Estate office for the allotment of a bungalow to him as an MP in Delhi. For now, he has been offered 12, Tughlak Lane, his earlier residence, but he is yet to decide on it. The Congress MP has 8 days to respond to this, the agency said.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat restored Gandhi's membership on Monday, over four months after he was disqualified. After the restoration of his membership, Gandhi reached the Parliament House and offered floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi's statue before entering the House to attend proceedings around noon. But the House was adjourned within minutes.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the notification to restore his membership was a "welcome step" and it brings relief to the people of India, and especially to Wayanad. "Whatever time is left of their tenure, BJP and Modi government should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating Democracy by targeting opposition leaders," Kharge said on Twitter.
Gandhi will be on a two-day visit to his former constituency Wayanad on August 12 and 13, his very first visit after being reinstated as an MP. Rajya Sabha member and Congress leader KC Venugopal took to Twitter and wrote, "On 12-13 August, Sh.@RahulGandhi ji will be in his constituency Wayanad! The people of Wayanad are elated that democracy has won, their voice has returned to Parliament! Rahul ji is not just an MP but a member of their family!" (sic)