Congress expels Digvijaya Singh's brother for 6 years over 'derogatory' remarks against Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra
The Congress expelled Madhya Pradesh leader and former Member of Parliament (MP) Laxman Singh for six years on 11 June for making 'derogatory' remarks against Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra.
Singh is the brother of senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Digvijaya Singh. According to a press statement by the Congress party, Singh has been expelled "with immediate effect" from the party due to his 'anti-party' activities.
The All India Congress Committee's (AICC) disciplinary committee recommended that Laxman Singh be expelled for his 'repeated public statements against the leadership.'
Singh has been expelled "with immediate effect" from the Congress party due to his 'anti-party' activities, according to a press statement by the party.
Laxman Singh, 70, is a five-term Lok Sabha Member of Parliament and a three-term Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Laxman Singh was thrice elected to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly: from 1990 to 1992, 1993 to 1994, and in 2018.
In 1994, Singh was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha in a by-election. He won the second term in the 11th Lok Sabha in the 1996 Parliamentary election and was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in the 1998 general elections and in bypolls in 1999. He always won these terms from Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency as a Congress candidate.
Singh, however, switched sides and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha (2004-2009) from Rajgarh seat again. But he lost the election for the 15th Lok Sabha, when Congress defeated BJP in Rajgarh constituency.
Laxman returned to the Congress in January 2013.
The Congress had issued a show-cause notice to Singh, saying his "derogatory" remarks targeting senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have "crossed all acceptable limits". It said his remarks have caused "serious damage" to the party's "image and dignity".
Singh triggered a row on 25 April when he dubbed Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's businessman husband, Robert Vadra, 'naive', claiming that the country is 'suffering the consequences of their immaturity.'
Days after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, Laxman had lashed out at the remarks by Robert Vadra who said that the terrorists gave a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that 'Muslims are feeling weakened' in India. Laxman said Vadra's statement 'poses a threat to the security of the country".
'Robert Vadra's statement that the terrorists attacked because they did not allow Muslims to offer namaz on the road is not only irresponsible but also a statement that poses a threat to the security of the country. I am saying all this in front of the camera, so that no one is confused. Congress should think 10 times before speaking, otherwise the public will answer in the elections," Laxman had said.
The notice was issued to Laxman Singh on 9 May by the party's Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) member secretary Tariq Anwar. "This is to bring to your notice that a complaint has been received from MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari and AICC general secretary in-charge for MP Harish Chaudhary regarding your repeated public statements that have caused serious damage to the image and dignity of the Congress," it read.
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