Rahul Gandhi Vacates Official Bungalow, Says ‘Paying Price for Speaking Truth’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vacated his official bungalow in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon, following his disqualification as a Member of Parliament.

Gandhi handed over the keys of his official residence to the Lok Sabha secretariat, a day after he moved out his belongings from the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow that he had moved into nearly 2 decades ago.

Speaking to media persons after handing over the keys, the Congress leader said that the government bungalow located at Tughlaq Lane was given to him by the people of the country and he had stayed there for 19 years.

"People of Hindustan gave me this house for 19 years, I want to thank them. It's the price for speaking the truth. I am ready to pay any price for speaking the truth. For some days I will be staying at 10 Janpath," said Rahul Gandhi after the handover.

"I'll stay at 10 Janpath for some time, then we'll figure out something," he said when asked where he will go now.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal were also present as he handed over the keys to his official bungalow.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi began the process of vacating his official bungalow and shifting his belongings to the 10 Janpath residence of his mother Sonia Gandhi after being sent a notice to do so by April 22 following his disqualification.

The former Congress president had to vacate the bungalow following his disqualification as MP after he was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in March 23 for his "Modi surname" remark.

A Gujarat court on Thursday rejected former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal for a stay on his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case on the ‘Modi surname’ remark.

On March 23, a Surat court convicted the Congress leader and sentenced him to two years of imprisonment in a 2019 defamation case that had been filed against him over his alleged derogatory remarks on the “Modi surname”. A day after his conviction, Gandhi was disqualified as Member of Lok Sabha.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi’s Appeal for Stay on Conviction in Defamation Case Rejected