Rahul Gandhi Gets 2 Years in Jail for 2019 Defamation Case Over 'Modi Surname' Remarks; Granted Bail

A court in Gujarat’s Surat held Congress leader Rahul Gandhi guilty on Thursday in the 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remarks. The court has also announced a 2-year jail term as quantum of punishment. Gandhi was present in the court when the verdict was pronounced.

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said.

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.

As a result of this order, Rahul Gandhi might lose his membership as an MP and Wayanad may witness a by-poll.

Soon after the verdict was announced, Rahul Gandhi tweeted a quote by Mahatma Gandhi: “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it.”

A huge number of party functionaries assembled at various spots in the city as a show of strength and support for Gandhi as he arrived in Surat, with posters extolling him as ‘Sher-e-Hindustan’ (lion of Hindustan) and placards declaring that the “Congress will not bow before the dictatorship of the BJP” on display.

What Is The Case?

Rahul Gandhi, 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’s lawyer Kirit Panwala had said.

“Truth is put to test and is harassed, but truth alone prevails. Several false cases have been filed against Gandhi, but he will emerge from all these. We will get justice,” said senior Congress leader and MLA Arjun Modhwadia on Thursday.

Rahul 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.

What Are Political Leaders Saying

Arvind Kejriwal, the supremo of Aam Aadmi Party, a Congress rival, came out in support of Rahul Gandhi after the sentence. A conspiracy is being hatched to eliminate non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them, Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet.

“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. We respect the court but disagree with the decision,” the tweet added.

Commenting on the order, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said: “This dictator government does not believe in democracy… they keep changing the judge… but we believe in law and judiciary and will fight according to law.”

BJP leader and national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla said: “It has been proven again that Rahul Gandhi is a persistent purveyor of fakery and falsehoods. Now, Rahul Gandhi has been held guilty for his defamatory statements. In hatred for one person, they start attacking the entire samaj (OBC samaj), country and its institutions.”

“Not the first time Rahul Gandhi has spoken lies, peddled falsehoods. He had to apologise to SC for his Rafale lie as well. Sad that the Congress party defended such a person’s statements made on foreign soil, demanding foreign intervention into India & held Parliament hostage,” added the leader.

Priyanka Gandhi, too, came out in support of brother Rahul and said: “The whole machinery of scared power is trying to suppress the voice of RahulGandhi ji by imposing price, punishment, discrimination. My brothers have never been afraid, nor will they ever be.”

She added: “Have lived speaking the truth, will continue to speak the truth. Will continue to raise the voice of the people of the country. The power of truth and the love of crores of countrymen are with him.”

Jairam Ramesh called Modi a dictator and said they are not afraid. “This is new India. If you raise your voice against injustice, then ED-CBI, Police, FIR will be imposed on everyone. Rahul Gandhi is also getting punished for speaking the truth and raising his voice against the dictator. The law of the country gives an opportunity to appeal to Rahul Gandhi, he will exercise this right. We are not afraid,” wrote the leader on Twitter.

‘Party Won’t Bow’: Gujarat Congress Ahead of Conviction

In a tweet, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president asserted the party will not bow before the “dictatorship of BJP,” and appealed to people to be present in a large number to welcome Gandhi when he appears before the court.

This will be the former Congress president’s first visit to Gujarat after the conclusion of his Bharat Jodo Yatra in January.

Gandhi was in Gujarat last to campaign for the Congress for the December 2022 Assembly elections. The party won just 17 out of the total 182 seats, its worst poll performance since the formation of the state in 1960.

He had last appeared before the Surat court in October 2021 to record his statement in the case. Before that, the Congress MP had appeared in the court to plead not guilty to charges levelled against him.

Read all the Latest India News here