On Saturday, July 15th, 2023, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi approached the Supreme Court after his plea for relief in a defamation case was denied by the Gujarat High Court. Challenging the High Court’s order from July 7th, Gandhi argued that if the decision is not overturned, it will severely impede free speech, expression, and thought.
Rahul Gandhi’s petition, filed in the Supreme Court, came in response to the dismissal of his request for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case related to the Modi surname. Expressing concern over the potential consequences, Rahul Gandhi asserted that if relief is not granted, his career spanning eight years will be irreparably damaged.
In his plea, Rahul Gandhi contended that allowing the High Court’s decision to stand will gradually erode democratic institutions, leading to the stifling of democracy and negatively impacting the future of India’s political landscape. The Congress leader vehemently refuted the complainant’s claim that his speech defamed individuals bearing the Modi surname.
Highlighting his role as a representative of the Wayanad constituency in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi emphasised that penalising him for what he termed minor defamation charges deprives the constituents of their voice in Parliament and their ability to participate in democratic governance. He also said that failing to stay the conviction and sentence would cause significant harm to the people of Wayanad, leaving them without representation for an extended period.
On 23rd March 2023, the Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Surat convicted Rahul Gandhi and sentenced him to two years in jail for his remarks made during an election rally in Karnataka back in 2019. It was during this rally that Gandhi questioned why individuals with the surname Modi are thieves. Following his conviction, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from membership in Parliament. He had been elected to the Lok Sabha from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala during the 2019 general elections. As per Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, a person convicted of an offence and sentenced to two years in jail is rendered ineligible for the term of their punishment and an additional six years, barring him from contesting elections.
Despite the setback in the Gujarat High Court, Rahul Gandhi now pins his hopes on the Supreme Court to overturn the decision and protect his political career while he paints it as if he is ensuring the welfare and representation of the people of Wayanad.
