In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed Rahul Gandhi's conviction in the defamation case stemming from his 'Modi' surname remark. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed his satisfaction with the apex court's decision, stating that justice had prevailed. He claimed that the ruling of the top court sends a strong message that minor internal issues should not be exaggerated, and that vendetta politics has no place in a democratic system. In addition, Shivakumar called for Gandhi's reinstatement in Parliament, emphasising the Speaker's responsibility to act quickly.
"..Justice has prevailed. The country's highest court has sent a message that small internal issues should not be blown up and that vendetta politics has no place in democracy...They removed him from Parliament within 24 hours, and he must be restored in the same manner. It is the Speaker's responsibility. Otherwise, the Speaker will also be in trouble," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The trial court did not cite any reason for imposing the maximum sentence on the Congress leader, according to a three-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, P S Narasimha, and Sanjay Kumar, and the ramifications were wide because the conviction would also affect the right of the electorates who elected him.
While Gandhi's statements were not in good taste, the Supreme Court noted that as a public figure, he was required to use more discretion when making public speeches. Notably, the court cited an earlier case, stating that if the decision, in that case, had been issued prior to Gandhi's speech, he would have been more circumspect in his remarks.
The top court was hearing Gandhi's appeal of the Gujarat High Court's decision to dismiss his request for a stay of execution in the defamation case filed by Purnesh Modi over his "Modi surname" remark.
Gandhi has consistently refused to apologise for his remark but has urged the Supreme Court to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case stemming from his remark, claiming he is innocent.
Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against Gandhi in 2019 after he said, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, on April 13, 2019.