Rahul Gandhi case highlights: Political row erupts over Surat court's verdict
A local court in Gujarat's Surat given a two-year term to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for a comment which he made in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections where he wondered how ‘all thieves have Modi as the common surname’. The verdict has been suspended for 30 days, on request of his legal team, to give him a chance to appeal the guilty verdict....Read More
The court's verdict became a rallying point for opposition leaders, including Delhi and Jharkhand chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, to protest against the order. Similarly the Bharatiya Janata Party has welcomed the order and criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the judgement.
What now for Rahul Gandhi?
An elected representative sentenced for any offence for two years or more faces immediate disqualification under the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951.
A provision that granted three months' protection from disqualification was struck down in 2013 as 'ultra vires' by the Supreme Court in the Lily Thomas case. In Gandhi's case, the court that found him guilty suspended its sentence for 30 days - on request - to give him a chance to challenge its decision.
This means the disqualification will kick in a month later, unless Gandhi can get a stay on the conviction (and sentence) from another court.
Rahul Gandhi cannot approach the Gujarat High Court or Supreme Court at this time since this is a criminal case, but a third party could - on grounds the procedure and manner of the Surat court's ruling hurt the larger public interest.
‘Will Rahul Gandhi now apologise?’: BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla linked the 2019 comment with the recent uproar over Rahul Gandhi's comments made in the UK and asked whether Rahul Gandhi will now apologise.
‘He is flippant and dangerous’: BJP's Amit Malviya
BJP's Amit Malviya said the comment was a casteist and defamatory one and it targetted a section of society. "He is flippant and dangerous, who has no compunction deriding India and Indians. He had recently pleaded for Europe and US intervention in India’s internal affairs… Shameful," Malviya said.
'Whatever Rahul Gandhi says...': BJP leaders on 'Modi surname' verdict
Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said whatever Rahul Gandhi says nowadays is dangerous not only for the party but also for the country -- after a Surat court convicted Rahul Gandhi for his comments. Read more
Rahul Gandhi gets bail; 2-yr sentence for '…all thieves Modi' remark suspended for 30 days
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been convicted by a Surat court on Thursday which sentenced him to 2 years in jail in a criminal defamation case over his alleged remark during the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar wondered how come "all thieves have Modi as the common surname". Read more
What was the case?
Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Gujarat court Thursday in the 2019 defamation case - his 'all thieves have Modi as the common surname' remark. Read more
Rahul Gandhi's first reaction on defamation case verdict: 'Truth my God, non-violence the means to get it'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted a quote of Mahatma Gandhi in his first reaction after he was convicted by a Surat court in a defamation case dating back to 2019.
2-year jail term for Rahul Gandhi on ‘Modi surname’ remark
The Surat court sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail but he has been released on bail so he can appeal the verdict.
