Rahul Gandhi invokes Mahatma Gandhi after conviction in defamation case; BJP slams Congress for wanting freedom to insult people: Key points | India News
Also See: Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case Live Updates
02:53
Rahul Gandhi’s first reaction after being convicted, shares Mahatma Gandhi’s quote on Twitter
“The court has suspended the punishment for 30 days and granted bail to Rahul Gandhi to allow him to appeal in a higher court,” said an advocate at Surat district court. Rahul Gandhi was present in the Surat court when the sentence was pronounced.
The sentencing has sparking off yet another heated row between the Congress and the BJP.
Here are the top developments of the day:
‘Truth my God’: Rahul Gandhi
Shortly after the sentencing, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and quoted Mahatma Gandhi: “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it- Mahatma Gandhi.”
मेरा धर्म सत्य और अहिंसा पर आधारित है। सत्य मेरा भगवान है, अहिंसा उसे पाने का साधन।- महात्मा गांधी
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) 1679553782000
Congress wants freedom for Rahul Gandhi to throw abuses: BJP
The BJP on Thursday slammed the Congress over its criticism of Rahul’s conviction, asking whether the opposition party wants “complete freedom” for him to “abuse” others.
“The law of India has it that if an individual or an organisation has been defamed with scurrilous statements, scandalous comments, abuses or any defamatory remarks, then he has a right to seek redress. But the Congress party has an objection. It wants complete freedom for Rahul Gandhi to throw abuses,” said BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
00:58
Whenever Rahul Gandhi speaks, it’s damaging for his party and for the nation as well: Kiren Rijiju
In a swipe at Gandhi for his comments after the conviction that he believes in truth and non-violence, he asked if this means insulting people by targeting them for their surname. “Does Congress want Rahul Gandhi to have complete freedom to abuse people? There is rule of law in the country and it will prevail,” he said, alleging the former Congress president has a history of making defamatory comments and unfounded allegations.
Prasad also accused Gandhi of insulting people by citing their caste.
00:55
Rahul Gandhi convicted: BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi calls Wayanad MP an ‘unguided missile’
Prasad also hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court’s order by reportedly noting that several judges hearing the matter were changed. Making such comments show that the party does not believe in the judiciary, he said and asked, “Does it want to keep even the judiciary in its pocket.”
Speaker will decide on disqualification: BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad
Asked whether Rahul Gandhi will be disqualified from the Lok Sabha, Prasad said it is for Speaker Om Birla to decide.
Prasad said Gandhi insulted people with Modi surname with his comments, asserting that it is “very much defamatory”. He noted that a similar case against the Congress leader is also proceeding at a court in Patna filed by BJP leader Sushil Modi.
Fallout of sentence, chance of appeal
As per the Representation of the People Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time.
The Congress has said Gandhi will file an appeal against the Surat court’s order.
Scared machinery of power trying to suppress voice: Priyanka Gandhi
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that her brother Rahul Gandhi lived speaking the truth and would continue to speak the truth.
“The entire scared machinery of power is trying to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi through ‘saam, daam, dand, bhed’. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He has lived speaking the truth, will continue to speak the truth,” tweeted Priyanka Gandhi in Hindi.
डरी हुई सत्ता की पूरी मशीनरी साम, दाम, दंड, भेद लगाकर @RahulGandhi जी की आवाज को दबाने की कोशिश कर रही है। मेरे… https://t.co/VFUxZuxMtk
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) 1679554986000
Priyanka Gandhi further stated that that Rahul would continue to raise his voice for the people of the country because the power of truth and the love of crores of people are with him.
Punished for raising voice against dictator: Congress
Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party will fight the judgement as per law.
“He has been granted bail. We knew from the beginning because they kept changing judges. We believe in law, judiciary and we will fight against this as per law,” Kharge said, adding that the “cowardly, dictatorial BJP government was stung by Rahul’s words as he is exposing their dark deeds”.
कायर, तानाशाह भाजपा सरकार श्री @RahulGandhi और विपक्ष से तिलमिलाई हुई है क्योंकि हम उनके काले कारनामों को उजागर कर… https://t.co/YnylDMOQxH
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) 1679556451000
Congress MP of Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh in a tweet said that Rahul Gandhi was being punished for speaking the truth and raising his voice against the dictator.
ये न्यू इंडिया हैअन्याय के खिलाफ आवाज उठाओगे तो ED-CBI, पुलिस, FIR सबसे लाद दिए जाओगे।राहुल गांधी जी को भी सच… https://t.co/b79lVvXG36
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) 1679554437000
“This is new India. If you raise your voice against injustice, then ED-CBI, Police, and FIR will be imposed on everyone. Rahul Gandhi is also getting punished for speaking the truth and raising his voice against the dictator”, tweeted Ramesh.
Ramesh also added that the law of the country gives Rahul Gandhi an opportunity to appeal so he will exercise this right and that they’re not afraid.
Law will catch up with ‘motormouths’: NCP tells BJP
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday said that while BJP leaders slam Rahul Gandhi over his conviction, the same rule applies to BJP leaders because the law will catch up with “motormouths” sooner than later.
BJP leaders are saying that #RahulGandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction by #SuratCourt and choose his word… https://t.co/LV5mG6eEop
— Clyde Crasto – क्लाईड क्रास्टो (@Clyde_Crasto) 1679560183000
“BJP leaders are saying that Rahul Gandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction and choose his words before speaking. The same applies to motormouths of the BJP because our Judiciary is Supreme, and it will catch up with them too, sooner rather than later,” NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto tweeted.
Delhi CM tweets support
Hours after Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal put out a tweet in the Congress leader’s support. The AAP chief alleged a ‘conspiracy to eliminate’ non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them.
ग़ैर बीजेपी नेताओं और पार्टियों पर मुक़दमे करके उन्हें ख़त्म करने की साज़िश हो रही हैहमारे कांग्रेस से मतभेद हैं… https://t.co/ZHe2nnkV5b
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) 1679553529000
“We have differences with the Congress, but it is not right to implicate Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case like this. It is the job of the public and the opposition to ask questions,” he tweeted. Kejriwal further said that he respects the court but won’t agree with this decision.
What is the 2019 defamation case?
The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.
03:15
Rahul Gandhi convicted: What did Rahul say that the court held him guilty for defamation
The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the alleged remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma had last week concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and set March 23 to pronounce its judgment in the four-year-old defamation case.
Gandhi had last appeared before the Surat court in the case, filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (dealing with defamation), in October 2021 to record his statement.
In his complaint, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi alleged that Gandhi, while addressing the poll rally in 2019, defamed the entire Modi community.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch Rahul Gandhi convicted in 2019 ‘Modi surname’ remarks defamation case in Surat
