Gujarat court to pronounce order in case against Rahul Gandhi over Modi remark

A court in Gujarat’s Surat is on Thursday scheduled to deliver its verdict in a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged derogatory remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname.

Former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi filed the case against Gandhi for allegedly defaming the Modi community at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar ahead of the 2019 national polls. “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” Gandhi was quoted to have allegedly said.

The court on March 17 concluded the final hearing in the matter and said it will pronounce the verdict on March 23. Gandhi appeared for the third and last time before the court in October 2021 to record his statement and pleaded not guilty.

The Gujarat high court this year vacated an interim stay on the trial imposed in March 2022 on the complainant’s plea demanding Gandhi’s personal appearance. The final arguments in the Surat court resumed last month

Gujarat Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said Gandhi will be present in the court when the order will be passed. “We have full faith in our judiciary system and are sure that justice will be delivered. All senior Gujarat leaders, office bearers, and party workers will stand with Rahulji.”

He added they stand united to show that however hard the Bharatiya Janata Party may try to silence them, they will continue their fight for India’s people.