Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress party, has received a new ordinary passport, paving the way for his upcoming trip to the United States. This development comes two days after a Delhi court granted clearance for the passport issuance. Gandhi had applied for an ordinary passport after surrendering his previous diplomatic passport, which was issued to him during his tenure as a Member of Parliament.
Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP in March, due to a conviction and a two-year sentence in a defamation case, triggered the need for a new passport. The defamation case stemmed from his alleged “Modi surname” remark. With the court’s assurance in the morning that the passport would be issued on Sunday, Gandhi received it in the afternoon, allowing him to proceed with his travel plans.
To obtain the clearance for the passport, Gandhi had approached a Delhi court, which granted him a no-objection certificate. The certificate permitted the issuance of an ordinary passport for a period of three years, rather than the usual ten-year validity. This decision was made following an objection raised by Subramanian Swamy, a BJP leader and the complainant in the National Herald case, in which Gandhi is one of the accused.
Gandhi’s visit to the United States will encompass a three-city tour, commencing in San Francisco. He is scheduled to engage with students at Stanford University, holding discussions and sharing his insights. Furthermore, Gandhi will address a press conference, meet with lawmakers and think tanks in Washington DC, and interact with Indian Americans. He also plans to engage with Wall Street executives and university students during his week-long stay. The tour will culminate with a public gathering in New York at the Javits Center on June 4.
The court, while granting clearance for the passport, took note of the ongoing status of the National Herald case. It acknowledged that the case was at the stage of cross-examination of the complainant during the pre-charge evidence. The court recognized Gandhi’s consistent appearance before the court, either in person or through his counsel, without causing any disruption or delay in the proceedings.
Following Gandhi’s conviction in the defamation case, the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, which he represented, was declared vacant on March 24. However, his sentence has been suspended pending appeal, allowing him to travel abroad for his engagements in the United States.
Overall, with the issuance of his new ordinary passport, Rahul Gandhi is now prepared to embark on his visit to the United States, where he will engage with various stakeholders, address the Indian diaspora, and participate in insightful discussions during his three-city tour.
