New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday took a swipe at Congress after it was learnt that several Congress leaders will be accompanying Rahul Gandhi in Surat where he will appeal against his conviction in the 2019 defamation case at a sessions court. The Congress leader was found guilty in the criminal case for his ‘Modi-surname’ remark during the 2019 poll campaign in Karnataka and was given a 2-year jail sentence but was later given a 30-day bail to appeal in a higher court.
Taking a dig at the party, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said “they will be creating mayhem in the name of appealing against the verdict” and questioned whether they were trying to “pressurise the judiciary”.
“Rahul Gandhi, his family members, CMs Ashok Gehlot & Bhupesh Baghel are going to Surat & will be creating mayhem in the name of appealing (against the 2-year sentence) verdict...are they trying to pressurise the judiciary?” Patra said.
Rahul Gandhi will reach Surat at around 2 pm today where he will move the court and will be accompanied by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gahlot and Congress Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal will also remain present.
The defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for the Congress leader's alleged remarks "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" Gandhi, who had served as an MP from Wayanad in Kerala, made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during the Lok Sabha elections campaign.
Following his conviction, the Congress leader was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha on March 24.