BJP: Does Cong want complete freedom to abuse?

March 23, 2023 14:10

Picture courtesy @INC

The BJP Thursday asserted that the law will take its course if Rahul Gandhi abuses people and slammed the Congress over its criticism of his conviction in a defamation case, asking whether the opposition party wants "complete freedom" for him to "abuse" others.

BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court's order by reportedly noting that several judges hearing the matter were changed.

Making such comments show that the party does not believe in the judiciary, he said and asked, "Does it want to keep even the judiciary even in its pocket."

Asked whether Rahul Gandhi will be disqualified from the Lok Sabha, Prasad said it is for Speaker Om Birla to decide. A court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his "Modi surname" remarks. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

Prasad said Gandhi insulted people with Modi surname with his comments, asserting that it is very much defamatory. His lawyers argued before the court before the verdict was given, he said, noting that a similar case against the Congress leader is also proceeding at a court in Patna filed by BJP leader Sushil Modi. Prasad accused Gandhi of insulting people by citing their caste.

In a swipe at Gandhi for his comments after the conviction that he believes in truth and non-violence, he asked if this means insulting people by targeting them for their surname. "Does Congress want Rahul Gandhi to have complete freedom to abuse people? There is rule of law in the country and it will prevail," he said, alleging the former Congress president has a history of making defamatory comments and unfounded allegations.

"The law of India has it that if an individual or an organisation has been defamed with scurrilous statements, scandalous comments, abuses or any defamatory remarks, then he has a right to seek redress. But the Congress party has an objection. It wants complete freedom for Rahul Gandhi to throw abuses," Prasad said. PTI

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