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Congress leaders in Karnataka condemned his conviction in a Gujarat court, saying that it was an attempt to divert the attention of the public. The court on Thursday, March 23, found Congress leader Rahul Gandhi guilty in a criminal and civil defamation case related to his statement made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. He was held guilty under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (criminal defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for which the maximum possible punishment is two years imprisonment. He was granted bail, and the sentence was suspended for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said that the defamation case was used against Rahul to cause a diversion from important matters. “BJP govt is simply using this defamation case against Sri @RahulGandhi as a tactic to divert attention from important national matters. But Congress party will keep asking questions for our people & our nation and such tactics cannot stop us(sic),” he tweeted.
BJP govt is simply using this defamation case against Sri @RahulGandhi as a tactic to divert attention from important national matters.
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) March 23, 2023
But Congress party will keep asking questions for our people & our nation and such tactics cannot stop us.
Stating that they will appeal the conviction, Congress national president and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The cowardly, dictatorial BJP government is upset with Mr @RahulGandhi and the Opposition because we are exposing their dark deeds. We’re demanding JPC [Joint Parliamentary Committee]. Modi government is inflicted with political bankruptcy, sends ED [Enforcement Directorate] and police, and slaps cases on political speeches. We will appeal to a higher court(sic).”
कायर, तानाशाह भाजपा सरकार श्री @RahulGandhi और विपक्ष से तिलमिलाई हुई है क्योंकि हम उनके काले कारनामों को उजागर कर रहे हैं। JPC की माँग कर रहे हैं।
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 23, 2023
राजनैतिक दिवालियेपन की शिकार मोदी सरकार,
ED, पुलिस भेजती है
राजनैतिक भाषणों पर केस थोपती है।
हम Higher Court में अपील करेंगे।
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also took to social media to quote Mahatma Gandhi, “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realising god.”
मेरा धर्म सत्य और अहिंसा पर आधारित है। सत्य मेरा भगवान है, अहिंसा उसे पाने का साधन।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 23, 2023
- महात्मा गांधी
While campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 in Karnataka’s Kolar, Rahul had asked, "How come all the thieves have Modi as a common surname?” It was alleged that the statement insulted everybody with the Modi surname.