NDA candidate Thushar Vellappally has alleged that Rahul Gandhi, in his nomination papers and in the affidavit, has not disclosed the fact that he holds another passport.
A day after objections were raised over Rahul Gandhi's nomination from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, the NDA candidate in Kerala’s Wayanad raised similar objections alleging that the Congress president holds two passports including one of a foreign country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA has fielded Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) chief Thushar Vellappally against Congress president Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala.
Elections in all 20 seats of Kerala, including Wayanad, will be held on April 23.
In a letter to the Returning Officer of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Vellappally’s election agent has alleged that Rahul Gandhi, in his nomination papers and in the affidavit, has not disclosed the fact that he holds another passport. He also referred to similar objections being raised in UP’s Amethi where the returning officer (RO) has asked the Congress leader's counsel to give his reply on Monday at 10.30 am.
Here is what Thushar Vellappally’s representative wrote in the letter to the Returning Officer of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency:
1. Rahul Gandhi has not disclosed his foreign passport in nomination, alleges Wayanad opponent
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“It is now learnt that the said candidate has not disclosed this fact in the nomination filed or in the affidavit. The said suppression and irregularity came to my notice only today. As I 'm living in Kerala and Rahul Gandhi, living in New Delhi, and he has purportedly to have completed his studies in foreign countries such willful omission and irregularities made by Shri. Rahul Gandhi was not known to me, in spite of my due diligence. The moment I got the information, I'm raising questions on the validity of his candidature,” Sinil Kumar G, Vellappally’s election agent, writes in the letter.
2. Rahul Gandhi not a citizen of India, ineligible to contest election
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The letter further said, "It is worthwhile to mention that the Returning Officer in Amethi ( Uttar Pradesh) wherein Shri Rahul Gandhi is contesting, has raised serious doubts about the qualifications and even citizenship of Rahul Gandhi and postponed the scrutiny of Rahul Gandhi's nomination on multiple grounds."
He added that Rahul Gandhi is not eligible to contest in parliament election and his nomination is to be rejected on the grounds that he is not a citizen of India.
He raised following points as objection to reject Congress president's nomination:
1- He is not qualified to Article 84(a) of the Indian Constitution, as he is not a citizen of India.
2- Rahul Gandhi is understood to have been the director and secretary of a private British company named BACKOPS Limited, where has described as a British citizen in United Kingdom residential address in 2005, 2006, and 2009 return of the company.
3- There is no clarity on when he became a British citizen and whether he is an Indian citizen.
4- The affidavit filed by Shri. Rahul Gandhi does not disclose about the assets and profit of the above mentioned UK Company.
5- It is said that Shri. Rahul Gandhi has professedly used the name RAUL VINCY in his educational certificate. There is no material available to substantiate that RAUL VINCY and Rahul Gandhi is one same person. The education qualification are also anachronic and ambiguous.
6- It is "general" duty of the Returning Officer as per section 24 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, to all such act and is necessary to effectively conduct the election the manner provided by the act, rules and order meet under.
"I request you to review the acceptance of nomination of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad constituency to check for the validity and reject the application," the letter read.
3. Seek affidavit from Rahul Gandhi: NDA candidate Thushar Vellappally to Wayand Returning Officer
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"It is further requested that you may kindly obtain a sworn affidavit from Rahul Gandhi or his authorized agent to the effect that: 1. Rahul Gandhi is an Indian citizen 2. Rahul Gandhi and Raul Vinci are same 3. Rahul Gandhi is holding only one Indian passport and no duplicate or other passports in any other name," the letter further said.
4. Amethi reference in Wayanad
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"I am enclosing a copy of the objections raised in Amethi against Sri Rahul Gandhi. Kindly give me some time to file the annexures also," the letter said.
"In view of above complications and objections of Constitutional nature, to conduct elections in a free and fair manner, I earnestly request you to kindly postpone election of this constituency at least for a fortnight failing which serious prejudice may be caused to all other candidates," Sinil Kumar G, Vellappally’s election agent, writes in the letter.
5. Objections in Amethi
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An independent candidate Saturday raised objections over Congress president Rahul Gandhi's nomination from Amethi, alleging discrepancies over citizenship and educational qualifications in his election affidavit. Complainant Dhruv Raj's lawyer Ravi Prakash showed reporters purported copies of a certificate of incorporation of a UK-registered company in which the Congress leader is stated to be a British national.
Ravi Prakash claimed that the UK Company had existed for five years and would have made some profit, but that has not been disclosed in the affidavit. He told reporters that he has urged the returning officer to look into this aspect. Ravi Prakash said he has sought a clarification on Gandhi's citizenship as being a UK citizen would bar him from fighting the Lok Sabha elections.
The returning officer (RO) has asked Rahul Kaushik, the Congress leader's counsel, to give his reply on Monday at 10.30 am. Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Lu said he has sought information on the complaint from the district election authorities.
