NEW DELHI (AP) Rahul Gandhi, the second most powerful member of India's ruling party, lashed out at the government Friday for proposing a law to protect convicted lawmakers from disqualification.
The government is seeking to overturn a ruling by India's top court striking down a legal provision that protects lawmakers from immediate disqualification following a criminal conviction while the case is being appealed.
"This is complete nonsense and it should be torn up and thrown out," Gandhi, the Congress party's vice president, told reporters as he lashed out against the proposed law.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is awaiting the president's approval for the ordinance it issued this week to become law. The government, however, can't ignore Gandhi's outburst and is expected to withdraw the ordinance.
Gandhi, a scion of India's Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, is widely expected to be a candidate for the prime minister's post in 2014 national elections.
