Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday will challenge his conviction in the defamation row in which he was sentenced to two years in prison. According to sources, Gandhi will go to Gujarat on Monday as an appeal will be moved in the Sessions court against his two-year sentence in the 'Modi surname' remark defamation case. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as an MP after he was convicted by a Surat court last month.
Senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, chief ministers of three Congress-ruled states, other national and state party leaders are likely to accompany him to the court.
Gandhi's lawyers said the matter is likely to be taken up for hearing by the sessions court on Monday itself.
A Surat court last month held Rahul Gandhi guilty of criminal defamation for his 'Modi surname' remark that he made during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls campaign. The court sentenced Gandhi to two-year in prison and subsequently, the Lok Sabha secretariat disqualified his membership.
A massive ruckus then followed in the political corridors of the country with opposition mounting an attack on the Centre to deliberately disqualify Gandhi. However. the Centre maintained that it has no role to play in the entire scenario. Opposition MPs registered their protest as they dressed in black for the Parliament session. They alleged that it was Rahul Gandhi's tough questions on PM Modi and Adani's relations that led to his disqualification.
Congress said it would fight the decision legally and politically.
The Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly on Monday last week removed as many as 16 of 17 Congress MLAs from the House for the remainder of the Budget session until March 29 for causing a stir and staging protests regarding Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as an MP, reported the news agency PTI.
Imran Khedawala, Geniben Thakor, and Amrtutji Thakor, members of the main opposition party, were ejected by marshals from the well of the House and refused to return to their seats despite repeated appeals from Speaker Shankar Chaudhary.
BJP leader Piyush Goyal on Monday slammed the Congress party's 'black protest' and said that Congress demoralised that now it has to take the support of black magic. "Where do we see black clothes? Congress is so demoralised that now it has to take the support of black magic," said Union Minister.
"There have been 12 other cases as well of the members who were disqualified after the court's decision. His own party leader was asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise but he didn't do that due to his arrogance," the minister said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been served a notice to vacate his 12-year-old Tughlaq Lane bungalow in Delhi. Following the disqualification notice issued last week, the Housing Committee of the Lok Sabha served Gandhi with a notice to vacate the bungalow at 12 Tughlaq Lane.
An RSS worker in Haridwar court filed a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his 'RSS is 21st Century's Kauravas' remarks. RSS worker Kamal Bhadauria who also happens to be an advocate filed this case and its hearing will begin on April 12, reported news agency ANI.
When Bharat Jodo Yatra was in Haryana, Gandhi said, "Kaurav kaun they? Ikkisvi sadi ke Kauravon ke baare me bata deta hoon. Ikkisvi sadi ke Kaurav khaki half-pant pehente hain, haath mein laathi liye hote hain aur shaakha lagate hain. Unke side mein, unki taraf, Hindustan ke 2-3 sabse ameer arabpati, khade hain (Who were the Kauravas? Let me tell you about the 21st century Kauravas. They wear khaki half-pants, carry lathi in hand and hold shakhas. India’s 2-3 billionaires are standing with the Kauravas).”