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Kapil Sibal says Rahul Gandhi verdict bizarre: ‘Legal process…political ends’
Legal processes are used far too often for political ends, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said after a Surat court gave a 2-year sentence to Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 defamation case, against which Rahul Gandhi can appeal to higher courts in 30 days.
As Rahul Gandhi prepares to appeal against the Surat court order which ordered a 2-year sentence to him for his 2019 comment 'how come all thieves have Modi surname', senior advocate and former Congress leader Kapil Sibal said both the process and the outcome have been bizarre. "Legal processes are used far too often for political ends," Kapil Sibal said. Rahul Gandhi has 30 days to appeal against the court order and the sentence has been suspended for the time period. The verdict brought together all the opposition parties raising voices against the 'highhandedness of the government being exercised through ED, CBI'.
The Congress will take out a march on Friday from Parliament to Vijay Chowk. The party will hold a meeting with other opposition leaders and a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu is also being planned.
Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar condemned the verdict and said it was an attempt to suppress the voice of opposition leaders. "I express my serious concerns at the attempts to curtail fundamental rights, freedom of speech and democratic expression in the country. The repeated attempts to suppress the voice of political parties, leaders and citizens of India is a matter of grave concern," Pawar said. "Today's judgment of Rahul Gandhi underscores the point. NCP MP P P Mohammed Faizal's case is also a similar case in point. I deplore this new trend in our political landscape, which should concern everyone in today's scenario," the Rajya Sabha member said.
Actor-politician kamal Haasan tweeted supporting Rahul Gandhi and said the Congress leader has seen more testing times and unfair moments. "Our Judicial system is robust enough to correct aberrations in dispensation of Justice. We are sure, you will get your justice on your appeal of the Surat Court’s decision! Satyameva Jayate!!" he tweeted.
