Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 8 : With the Gujarat High Court on Friday refusing to stay Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a criminal defamation case, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge called the decision a "travesty of justice" and said that the court should have considered Rahul's honesty in politics.
Gujarat High Court on Friday upheld Sessions Court's order denying a stay on the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case in the 'Modi surname' remark.
"It is a travesty of justice and with all due respect to the wisdom of the court, they should have considered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's honesty in politics. He has contributed immensely to ensure that society remains peaceful as a member of parliament, it is very unfortunate," said Priyank Kharge son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday.
Earlier reciting to the decision of the court Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar has said "This is a big conspiracy of BJP...BJP with its party cadre has filed a complaint and a verdict has come on it, such a verdict has never come...nobody can stop the Gandhi family and Rahul Gandhi," DK Shivkumar said."
At a rally in Karnataka's Kolar in April 2019, Rahul Gandhi, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?". Purnesh Modi had filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi taking offence at this remark on the surname in a Surat court.
The Gujarat High Court dismissed Rahul Gandhi's plea and noted that at least 10 criminal cases were pending against him and even after the present case, some more cases have been filed against him. One such case has been filed by the grandson of Veer Savarkar, the court said.
Earlier in May this year, Gujarat HC reserved its order on Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the 2019 'Modi surname' defamation case.
Rahul Gandhi had moved the Gujarat High Court on April 25 challenging the Surat sessions court order which declined to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case. The Surat sessions court had on April 20 rejected Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the criminal defamation case.
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