Does Congress want complete freedom for Rahul to abuse people: BJP

PTI

New Delhi, March 23

The BJP on Thursday asserted that the law would take its course if Rahul Gandhi abused people and slammed the Congress over its criticism of his conviction in a defamation case, asking whether the opposition party wanted "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 shows the party does not believe in the judiciary, he said, and asked, "Does it want to keep even the judiciary in its pocket?"

Asked whether Rahul would 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 Purnesh Modi.

Prasad said Gandhi insulted people with the Modi surname with his comments, asserting that it is very much defamatory.

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 meant insulting people by targeting them for their surname.

"Does the 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.