On April 3, after getting a bail extension from Surat Court, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted a cryptic message. “This is a fight to save democracy against ‘Mitrakal’. Truth is my weapon, and the truth is my support in this struggle.”
It is unclear though how getting bail in a defamation case where he abused an OBC community can be considered a “fight to save democracy”. Similar rhetoric was presented in front of the world when Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering case.
ये ‘मित्रकाल’ के विरुद्ध, लोकतंत्र को बचाने की लड़ाई है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 3, 2023
इस संघर्ष में, सत्य मेरा अस्त्र है, और सत्य ही मेरा आसरा! pic.twitter.com/SYxC8yfc1M
Rahul Gandhi’s sentence suspended
A Surat Court has suspended Rahul Gandhi’s two-year prison sentence that was awarded to him for using defamatory language against the Modi surname. The case was filed against him by BJP leader Purnesh Modi over a 2019 speech. Usually, the convict is not required to appear in court to file an appeal, but Rahul Gandhi chose to do so to turn the entire thing into a spectacle.
Rahul Gandhi’s conviction
Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat Court and sentenced to 2 years in prison in a 2019 defamation case. The Congress scion’s conviction led to an automatic disqualification from Lok Sabha as per the regulations. Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification has been used by him and Congress leaders to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming “democracy is in danger” and “Modi is suppressing the voice of the opposition”. In 2019, Rahul Gandhi abused the Modi OBC community by questioning “why all thieves have a common surname, Modi”. The Surat Court found him guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison for criminal defamation. He had 30 days to appeal against the sentencing.
