<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">BJP on Friday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his conviction by a Surat Court saying that the verdict reflects that no one is above the law. </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The Party said, as per the law, the conviction leads to disqualification from Parliament membership. Briefing media Senior BJP Leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a defamation case and was sentenced to 2-year jail. He said, the Nehru-Gandhi family should know that law is equal for everyone. </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">He accused Mr Gandhi of abusing backward castes with his thieves jibe aimed at Modi surname. Mr Pradhan said, today's decision has been taken on the basis of an ordinance which was promulgated during the Congress government. The Minister questioned whether the Congress Party was serious about Rahul Gandhi's membership. He said, the Congress Party had approached Court in Pawan Khera's case within hours of action but not in the case of Mr Gandhi. Mr Pradhan said, a conspiracy within the Congress might have played a role in its leaders not approaching a higher court for relief for Rahul Gandhi after his conviction.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Senior BJP Leader and Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, the Supreme Court verdict states that parliamentary membership is annulled with conviction and Lok Sabha Speaker only confirmed the legal position today. He said, in 13 years, Rahul Gandhi participated in only 21 discussions and did not introduce any single Private Member Bill. Mr Thakur said, Mr Gandhi is the epitome of unparliamentary behaviour. He added that days before Mr Gandhi lamented that unfortunately, he is an MP and so, ultimately, he has been relieved as an MP. </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Reacting to the disqualification, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed confidence that they would get a stay on the conviction, which would remove the very basis of disqualification. Briefing media in New Delhi today, he said, they have full faith in the law. He said, disqualification from Parliament must be preceded by an Election Commission nod. </span></p>