After the Gujarat High Court on Friday upheld Sessions Court's order denying stay on conviction of Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case against 'Modi surname' remark, Congress leader Sukhjinder Randhawa said that it is not a shock, and Gandhi will come out strong. He also said that the grand old party will form the Government in 2024. After today's verdict, the former Congress chief will approach the Supreme Court. Following the decision, Gandhi will not be able to contest elections or seek revocation of the suspension of his status as a Member of Parliament (MP).
He can appeal the High Court order in Supreme Court. Gujarat High Court has said that the Trial Court conviction order is proper, there is no need to interfere with the said order. Therefore, the application is dismissed. The Court further noted that at least 10 criminal cases are pending against Rahul Gandhi.
Reacting to the verdict, Congress MP K Suresh said that the judgement is very unfortunate. "The judgement is very unfortunate...Now, we are going to Supreme Court. We believe in the judiciary and that is why we believe that the Supreme Court will give judgement in favour of Rahul Gandhi," as quoted by ANI.
Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said that the judiciary is always respected but the decision is wrong. He also said that Rahul Gandhi's political fate is not decided really by the decision of the court and the people of the country are strongly behind him. "We have always respected the judiciary and held it in high esteem but we believe that this decision is wrong - both in facts as well as law...The political fate (of Rahul Gandhi) is not decided really by the decision of the court. It is decided by the people of the country and the people of the country are solidly behind Rahul Gandhi," Pawan Kumar Bansal said, as quoted by ANI. After the Gujarat HC verdict, Congress workers raised slogans and protested at party Headquarters in Delhi.
On April 3, the Surat Sessions Court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi, who had filed an appeal following his conviction in the case. Notably, if Gandhi's conviction is stayed by the court, his disqualification could be reversed. Earlier, the court had denied interim protection to Rahul Gandhi in the case. Justice Hemant Prachchhak had reserved his order and said he would pronounce the judgment after summer vacation in June.
"It is in the interest and fitness of the case, that the matter be decided finally and no interim protection be granted at this stage. Hence, the matter is kept for final judgment post summer vacations," Bar and Bench quoted Justice Prachchhak as saying. The High Court also ordered the Surat trial court to place before it the original "record and proceedings" of the case.
Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha in March after he was sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat metropolitan magistrate's court in the 2019 case over his "why all thieves have Modi surname" remark. Later, the Surat sessions court declined to stay the conviction in the matter.
The former Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad had said "how come all thieves have the common surname Modi?" while addressing a rally in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, targetting PM Modi over his last name which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.
The case was filed by the BJP legislator Purnesh Modi. Following his conviction, Rahul was disqualified as an MP on March 24, as per a Supreme Court ruling in 2013. Under the ruling, any MP or MLA is automatically disqualified if convicted and sentenced to two years or more.