Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in jail by the Surat District Court in a criminal defamation case filed against him in 2019 for his alleged “Modi surname” remarks. However, the court granted him bail and stayed its order for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
Reacting to the verdict, Gandhi took to Twitter and quoted Mahatma Gandhi, saying, “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it.” The case was filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for remarks made by Gandhi at a Lok Sabha election rally in Karnataka’s Kolar.
Gandhi had allegedly said, “Why all the thieves, be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi, have Modi in their names.” Former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi welcomed the judgment.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the verdict was along expected lines and that they will appeal the decision. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju blamed Gandhi’s “attitude” for the Congress party’s suffering, saying that his statements always negatively impact the party and the country.
Gandhi’s counsel Kirit Panwala made the final arguments before the court, and they are waiting for confirmation if Gandhi will appear on March 23 in the Surat district court. The case was filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (dealing with defamation), and Gandhi had last appeared before the Surat court in October 2021 to record his statement.
The news has caused a stir in the political sphere, with many people sharing their opinions on the matter. The AIOSEO optimized article highlights the key points of the case and provides a brief overview of the reactions from both sides. It provides readers with the latest developments in a concise and easy-to-understand manner.
