Surat: BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi on Thursday said a people's representative cannot escape by making defamatory statements and the court has rightly convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. He said Gandhi's remark was an insult to the people of Gujarat, where many people have Modi surname. Modi, who was a minister in the Bhupendra Patel government in its first tenure, welcomed the court's order and said it was a social movement for them. We had fought for a social cause, he said.
Earlier, Surat District Court sentenced Gandhi to two years of imprisonment in connection with the four-year-old criminal defamation case over his alleged "Modi" surname. The court later granted him bail. The sentence was suspended for 30 years so as to allow him to appear in a higher court.
Addressing a rally at Karnataka's Kolar prior to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi had allegedly questioned how all thieves have Modi as their surnames. Condemning Gandhi's remark, Purnesh Modi had lodged a defamation complaint against him. The court has held Gandhi guilty under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.
Petitioner's lawyer said that the Congress leader was granted bail today but if he does not appeal in a higher court within 30 days then he will go behind the bars. During the hearing, Gandhi's lawyer had said that the Congress leader had no intention of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he had made the remark in the context of the issues related to the country. "If being an MP he makes such a remark then it should not be taken lightly. We had told the court that if an MP violates the law then it should be taken note of. Else, this would give a wrong message to the society that a people's representative can escape punishment by making such remarks," the lawyer said.
Meanwhile Gandhi tweeted Mahatma Gandhi's quote on truth and non violence. "My religion is based on truth and non violence. Truth is my God, non violence the means to get it-Mahatma Gandhi" he had tweeted.
