Not guilty, allow me to participate in LS sessions: Rahul Gandhi tells SC on Modi surname case
PTC News Desk: While asserting that he's not guilty in the 'Modi surname' remark case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stay his two-year conviction, allowing him to participate in the ongoing Lok Sabha sessions and subsequent sessions.
In April 2019, Rahul Gandhi said at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" in a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi stated in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court that he has always maintained that he is not guilty of the conduct and that the "conviction is unsustainable," and that if he had to apologise and compound the offence, "he would have done it much earlier."
According to Gandhi's affidavit, the complainant, Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi, used defamatory language such as 'arrogant' to describe him in his reply before the Supreme Court simply because he has refused to apologize.
Using the criminal process and consequences under the Representation of Peoples Act to "arm twist" Gandhi into apologizing for no wrongdoing, he continued, is a blatant abuse of the judicial process that this court should not tolerate.
The affidavit further said that Gandhi has an 'exceptional' case, given the triviality of the offence and the permanent harm done to him as an elected MP.
“On the other hand, there is no prejudice caused at all to the complainant. It is therefore prayed for that the conviction of Gandhi be stayed, enabling him to participate in the ongoing sittings of the Lok Sabha and the sessions thereafter,” Gandhi stated.
The complainant in Rahul Gandhi's criminal defamation case, in which he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison by the Surat court over the 'Modi surname' remark, told the Supreme Court on Monday that the Congress leader's attitude reveals arrogant entitlement and he does not deserve any relief in the form of a stay on his conviction.
According to the complainant, Gandhi acted arrogantly rather than apologetically about his remarks, and his conduct shows insensitivity to an outraged community and contempt for the law.
“At the time of sentencing before the Trial Court, the Petitioner far from being repentant or contrite, displayed arrogance. He said he did not seek any mercy from the court and would not apologise for any harm to the reputation of the persons he had defamed. Subsequent to the order of conviction and sentence, in a press conference, the petitioner said that he would never apologise in this case as he was not a Savarkar, but a Gandhi,” complaint Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi said.
The complainant sought dismissal of Gandhi's appeal, claiming that the Congress leader maligned a totally blameless class of persons by his reckless and malicious words.
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- ANI
