Rahul Gandhi's status as Lok Sabha MP restored; to attend Parliament today

In 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi, in Karnataka's Kolar, had said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" while referring to Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was restored on Monday. As he is now free to attend parliament sessions, Gandhi will be attending one today.

On Friday, the Supreme Court (SC) suspended Rahul Gandhi's conviction in the defamation case related to Modi surname remark.

Following the suspension, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday restored his membership.

First press conference after SC decision

On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference at the party's headquarters in Delhi, marking his first press conference after the Supreme Court granted him relief in a defamation case.

During the press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, "If not today, then tomorrow, if not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, the day after that, the truth wins," he said in a short statement.

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He extended his gratitude to those who stood by him and the public for their encouragement.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted, "No matter what happens, my duty remains the same."

During the conference, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The Constitution is still alive and there is hope that justice can be served. Not only is this a victory for Rahul, but the people of the country have also gained."

Kharge praised Gandhi's remarkable journey of over 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, where he met with the underprivileged, children, doctors, and engineers.

He added that the prayers of all those Rahul Gandhi encountered during his journey were with him today.

What was Rahul Gandhi's defamation case?

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, Gandhi, in Karnataka's Kolar, had said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" while referring to Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

Following his remarks at the rally, Surat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi lodged a complaint against the Congress leader stating that Gandhi's remarks "defamed" the entire Modi community.

Following the complaint, a case was filed against Rahul Gandhi under Section 499 and Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

On March 23 this year, a local court in Surat convicted Rahul Gandhi in the case. The court sentenced the Congress leader to two years imprisonment under sections 499 and 500. The sentence was later suspended after an appeal was filed and Gandhi was granted bail.

However, one day after Rahul Gandhi was sentenced, the Lok Sabha secretariat issued a notification that stated that Gandhi has been disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha.

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What's next for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi?

Following the restoration of his Lok Sabha membership, his perks as an MP would subsequently be reinstated. These include rent-free housing, monthly salary, constituency allowance, travel reimbursements, etc.

He is likely to get back his official 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow in Delhi. He had vacated the residence about a month after his conviction in the case.