Sachin Pilot says raising voice not anti-party activity, disqualification aimed

Congress leader Sachin Pilot

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Sachin Pilot and the rebel Congress legislators have filed an amended petition in the Rajasthan High Court, challenging the Rajasthan Speaker's move to disqualify them as MLAs. Sachin Pilot, in the plea said, raising voice is not an anti-party activity, his disqualification is aimed at throttling dissent against persons in power. Sachin Pilot has also asserted that he is still a Congressman and has not indulged in any anti-party activity as has been alleged by the Ashok Gehlot camp. Sachin Pilot said he and his loyalists are not conspiring to topple the government of his own party in Rajasthan.

In the plea, Sachin Pilot said, It is alleged in the complaint that the Petitioners [Sachin Pilot's camp] herein have indulged in alleged anti party activities....the fulcrum of the allegation leveled against the Petitioners...emanates out of the act of the Petitioners deliberately absenting themselves from two consecutive meetings of the Congress legislative party....the notice is Ex facie violative of the essence of democracy and aims at throttling dissent against persons in power....the petitioners continue to express their allegiance to the party and are in no manner seeking to defect to any other party much less bring down the government of which they are a part of, as alleged in the notice. Sachin Pilot's amended petition further says that his camp sought leadership change in a democratic manner."It is submitted that the Right to dissent or freedom of speech and expression of a legislator is the basic attribute of Parliamentary democracy and is considered to be indispensable for the healthy functioning of the Democracy. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also a Congress leader, represents the Rajasthan Speaker's office. Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, who have represented the BJP-led government at the Centre in the past, are the lawyers for the Sachin Pilot's camp.