'Slap on Family's Face': BJP on Dismissal of Rahul's Plea in 'Modi Surname' Case

A stay on the verdict would have paved way for Rahul Gandhi to be reinstated in Parliament.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

(Photo: PTI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, 20 April, welcomed the Surat Sessions Court dismissal of the plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a stay on his conviction in the 2019 'Modi-surname' criminal defamation case.

Calling the dismissal a "slap on the Gandhi family's face," BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra called it "a victory for the common people of the country."

The court, on 23 March, had convicted Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case for his comment that said "all people with Modi surname are thieves" that he made during an election rally in Kolar in April 2019.

A stay on the verdict would have paved way for Rahul Gandhi to be reinstated as member of Parliament.

What the BJP said: Addressing the media, Patra said: "Rejecting of Rahul Gandhi's request to pause his conviction marks a moment of celebration for the backward classes."

"The verdict today clarifies that the country is ruled by the Constitution and not one family. There can be no preferential treatment for any family," Patra said, adding that "no protests, no mobilisation can make the judiciary buckle under pressure."

Alleging that Rahul Gandhi had "abused" backward classes, Patra said: "The Gandhi family thought it could escape punishment, but that is not possible."

Former Union Minister and BJP leader Dr Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter to call it a "victory for the OBC community."

"The court has shown a mirror to Rahul Gandhi. The same mirror will be shown to the Congress party by the people. The country will not tolerate the humiliation of any community," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

What the Congress said: Following the verdict, Congress communications incharge Jairam Ramesh said that the party will avail all possible legal options.

"We will continue to avail all options still available to us under the law," he said.

Addressing the media, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that it was unfortunate that a wrong verdict, which defies all basis of law, was upheld.

"We will go to High Court soon," said Singhvi without giving a date for when the party will move the Gujarat High Court.

"The Constitutional courts, including the Supreme Court, has ample powers under which these wrong decisions will be challenged. We hope that these will be corrected lawfully," he added.

Alleging that Rahul Gandhi's statement was distorted, reconstructed, and misquoted, Singhvi said: "The claims being mad about OBCs are backfiring. The community has understood how they are being misused politically by the BJP."

"If they think Rahul Gandhi can be silenced by this, they neither know him nor the Congress party," he added.

Former Union Minister Renuka Chaudhary, in a video address, called the verdict "disappointing."

"We were hoping that we will get some relief here. We look to fighting in the High Court and hoping we will get relief. The kind of haste and public perceptionIt has been very disappointing," she said.

She further said that a "hasty exit has been forced on Rahul Gandhi" and that all party workers stand by him.