Germany stirs the pot as it takes note' of Rahul verdict
- New Delhi: Amidst an ongoing face-off between the Congress and the BJP over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha, Germany hi". has 'taken note' of the issue, triggering a fresh political slugfest here on Thursday with the ruling party accusing the opposition party of "inviting foreign powers" to interfere in internal matters.
- The BJP attack came after senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh thanked the German foreign ministry and Richard Walker, Chief International Editor of Deutsche Welle, for "taking note of how democracy is being compromised in India through the persecution of Rahul Gandhi".
- Singh also tagged a tweet by Walker in which the senior journalist had posted a video of a German foreign ministry spokesperson reacting to Gandhi's disqualification.
- At a press briefing, Germany's foreign ministry spokesperson has said, "we have taken note of the verdict of first instance against Indian opposition politician Rahul Gandhi as well as the suspension of his parliamentary mandate."
- "To our knowledge, Mr. Gandhi is in a position to appeal the verdict. It will then become clear whether this verdict will stand and whether the suspension of his mandate has any basis," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Deutsche Welle.
- Germany expects that "standards of judicial independence and fundamental democratic principles" will equally apply to the proceedings against Rahul Gandhi, the spokesperson added.