Rahul Gandhi defamation case live update: Congress says it will launch 'Jan-Andolan' across country over Rahul's disqualification

After a Surat court sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark made in 2019, Congress is planning to hold a solidarity march against the verdict, said party general secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday.

"We have analyzed the situation. The verdict was so unfortunate as far as Congress Party is concerned. We will do a solidarity march for Congress Party. We are seeking an appointment with the President. From day 1 onwards, when Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of Adani, the Government of India side came to stop him. They do not want Rahul Gandhi to speak in Parliament. They are varying all options to stop his voice," Venugopal told ANI.

Decriminalisation of defamation was gathering pace the world over but is now facing a setback, Unesco said in a recent report, noting that 160 countries still criminalise defamation with some actually introducing more stringent provisions in recent years.

Congress on Thursday said that the Surat court’s conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case was bad in law and the Congress leader would appeal against it in the higher court, and expressed hope that the judgment would be stayed and later quashed.

Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification has come into “immediate and automatic” effect upon his conviction and sentencing despite the grant of bail and suspension of his sentence for a month, say lawyers who have closely worked with EC on such cases.

Blame it on the vagaries of politics. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had in 2013 opposed a move to protect convicted lawmakers from instant disqualification. The absence of the protection provided by Section 8(4) of the Representation of People Act now exposes the former Congress chief to disqualification from Lok Sabha.

Congress’s Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi faces possible disqualification from Lok Sabha and a six-year bar on contesting elections after a district court in Gujarat’s Surat on Thursday sentenced him to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed by a BJP MLA over his remark at a poll rally in Karnataka’s Kolar: “How come all thieves have the Modi surname?”

"We have institutions of high integrity in this country whose working has never been questioned by anybody. Unfortunately, Rahul Gandhi has never respected high Constitutional offices, including the office of his own PM Dr Manmohan Singh. You remember the way he attacked the then UPA Govt & tore a lawful decision taken by the whole cabinet headed by the then PM Dr Manmohan Singh," said Goyal.

"He should come out of this dynastic mindset and realise that no individual is bigger than the country, bigger than the people of India, bigger than the Constitution of India & nobody should consider himself above the law," said Goyal.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Thursday welcomed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi for his remarks over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname and said he should also be booked for 'insulting' national icons like VD Savarkar and 'defaming' the country abroad. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said Gandhi is used to making personal comments. "He should also be booked for insulting national icons like Veer Savarkar and defaming the country abroad (a reference to Gandhi's recent comments at Cambridge University which has stoked controversy)," Mhatre said. (PTI)

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday said while Bharatiya Janta Party leaders slam Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his conviction, the same rule applies to BJP leaders because the law will catch up with 'motormouths' sooner than later. A court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his Modi surname remarks. "BJP leaders are saying that RahulGandhi must learn a lesson from his conviction by Surat court and choose his words before speaking. The same applies to motor-mouths of the #BJP because our Judiciary is Supreme, and it will catch up with them too, sooner rather than later,” NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto tweeted.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that her brother (Rahul Gandhi) lived speaking the truth and would continue to speak the truth after Rahul Gandhi was found guilty in the criminal defamation case filed against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark. "The entire scared machinery of power is trying to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi through 'saam, daam, dand, bhed'. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He has lived speaking the truth, will continue to speak the truth", tweeted Priyanka Gandhi in Hindi.

Hours after Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal put out a tweet in the Congress leader's support. The AAP chief alleged a 'conspiracy to eliminate' non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them. "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," he tweeted.

The BJP Thursday asserted that the law will take its course if Rahul Gandhi abuses people and slammed the Congress over its criticism of his conviction in a defamation case, asking whether the opposition party wants 'complete freedom' for him to 'abuse' others. BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court's order by reportedly noting that several judges hearing the matter were changed. Making such comments show that the party does not believe in the judiciary, he said and asked, "Does it want to keep even the judiciary even in its pocket."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday quoted Mahatma Gandhi in his first reaction after being sentenced to 2-year imprisonment in a defamation case by a Surat court on Thursday. "My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it- Mahatma Gandhi," he tweeted.

We keep saying our democracy is in danger as there is pressure on judiciary, ECI, ED ... they're all misused. All decisions are made under influence. Such comments are common ... Rahul Gandhi is a courageous man and only he can compete with NDA govt: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that the party will fight as per law. "He has been granted bail. We knew from the beginning because they kept changing judges. We believe in law, judiciary and we will fight against this as per law," Kharge said.