NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi received a short-validity ordinary passport, following a no-objection certificate (NOC) from a Delhi court on Friday.
The former Congress president had surrendered his diplomatic passport after being stripped of his MP status in March as a result of his conviction and two-year term by a Gujarat court in a defamation case involving his statement about the Modi surname. In the meanwhile, the punishment has been suspended.
Gandhi had already filed a motion with the Delhi court because he was planning a three-city tour that would take him to San Francisco, California, on Monday night. The court on Friday granted the NOC to him for the issuance of an 'ordinary passport' for 3 years instead of 10, following an objection by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who is the complainant in the National Herald case. Gandhi is an accused in the case.
The National Herald case was still pending at the time of the complainant's cross-examination in the pre-charge evidence, and the court noted that Gandhi had been regularly appearing in person or through his counsel and had not slowed down the proceedings.
After speaking with students at Stanford University in San Francisco, the former president of Congress will hold a press conference and meet with lelgislatorsand think tanks in Washington, DC.
During his week-long visit to the United States, the former Wayanad MP is also likely to speak to Indian Americans, engage with Wall Street CEOs, and engage with college students. On June 4, Gandhi will hold a public event in New York to wrap up his journey. The discussion would take place at New York's Javits Centre.
Now Rahul Gandhi will be able to get a normal passport, Rouse Avenue Court has given permission
