BJP welcomes Gujarat HC verdict; dubs Rahul Gandhi as 'habitual offender'

The Gujarat High Court Friday dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark.

New Delhi/Ahmedabad:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday welcomed Gujarat High Court's decision to reject Rahul Gandhi's plea to stay his conviction in a defamation case over his Modi surname remark and termed the Congress leader a "habitual offender."

"We welcome the Gujarat High Court's decision. As far defamation is concerned, Rahul Gandhi is a habitual offender," senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in the national capital.

Ravi Shankar Prasad also noted that the Congress leader refused to apologise for his 'Modi surname' jibe and displayed "irresponsible arrogance". "If he behaves like this and defames people and institutions, the law with catch up with him," added Prasad.

He also said that are seven-eight defamation cases against Rahul Gandhi, "It has become a chronic habit of Rahul Gandhi to abuse and defame eminent people and organisations," Prasad said, adding that the former Congress chief has also been accused of insulting a great patriot like Veer Savarkar and the Hindutva organisation RSS.

"It is his arrogance that he believes he is above the law as he is from the Gandhi family," the senior BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, who had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi said, that everyone should accept the court's order and that would be 'Satyamev Jayate' in its real sense.

The decision of the Gujarat High Court has effectively closed the avenue for the Congress leader to be reinstated as a Member of Parliament (MP) ahead of the Monsoon session scheduled later this month. Justice Hemant Prachchhak, who delivered the verdict, disallowed the plea.

The HC upheld the sessions court's order denying a stay on the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case against the 'Modi surname' remark. The judge had earlier refused to grant interim relief as sought by the disqualified Parliamentarian while hearing the plea.