Kochi: Former Lakshadweep MP and NCP leader Mohammed Faizal P P will move a plea before the Supreme Court seeking his reinstatement in the Lok Sabha.
He was disqualified from the Parliament after a lower court convicted him in an attempt-to-murder case. Though the High Court suspended the conviction of the Kavaratti court, the Lok Sabha secretariat has not reinstated Faizal.
A day after the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha over a defamation case, Faizal came forward criticising the Lok Sabha secretariat.
Talking to Manorama news, Faizal noted that he will move a plea before the apex court on Monday. He noted that his reinstatement is being delayed due to political reasons.
He pointed out that he had submitted a formal request to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla appealing to cancel his disqualification from the house. But neither the speaker nor the Lok Sabha secretariat issued any notification revoking his disqualification even after repeated requests, he added.
He also raised contempt of court charges against the Lok Sabha secretariat's irresponsible act.
While reacting to Rahul Gandhi's disqualification here on Friday, Faizal questioned the treatment of opposition parliamentarians are being handled, saying that how the Narendra Modi government does things is "rather strange".
"Just see the speed at how things go, when within hours after the Surat court conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case came, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. In my case, it was on January 11 when the Kavaratti Sessions Court convicted me and it was on January 13, came the news that the Election Commission disqualified me and announced fresh polls to the Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency," Faizal told the media in wake of the news of Gandhi's disqualification.
"I then approached the Kerala High Court which stayed the Sessions Court judgement (January 25). But it is now close to two months and despite numerous representations to reinstate my Lok Sabha status, it has not happened. My leader Supriya Sule has met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha a few times to reinstate my status and till now nothing has happened. The speed to disqualify me and Gandhi took place so quickly, but just see my request for being reinstated is yet to be considered. So this is targeting political opponents," he added.
The Kavaratti sessions court in Lakshadweep had sentenced four persons, including Mohammed Faizal to 10 years in jail after they were found guilty in an attempt-to-murder case. Following the conviction, Faizal was disqualified. However, the Kerala High Court later suspended his conviction and sentence.
(With inputs from IANS)
