New Delhi: After the Surat district court held Congress MP Rahul Gandhi guilty in a criminal defamation case over a remark on the “Modi” surname in 2019, party leader Renuka Chowdhury said she would file a similar case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling her “Surpanakha” in Parliament in 2018.
“This classless megalomaniac referred to me as Surpanakha on the floor of the house. I will file a defamation case against him. Let’s see how fast courts will act now…” she tweeted.
This classless megalonaniac referred to me as Surpanakha on the floor of the house.
I will file a defamation case against him. Let's see how fast courts will act now.. pic.twitter.com/6T0hLdS4YW
— Renuka Chowdhury (@RenukaCCongress) March 23, 2023
Chowdhury tweeted a clip, where Modi is seen asking the Rajya Sabha chairman to allow the Congress leader to continue as “such laughter (hers) was heard days after the Ramayana serial”. Modi made the comment after Chowdhury was heard laughing out loud during his speech.
Incidentally, Modi has also called Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s deceased wife Sunanda a “50-crore rupee girlfriend.”
Meanwhile, on Rahul’s conviction Thursday, Chowdhury tweeted: “Rahul Gandhi chose not to apologise for fighting against corruption.”
Rahul Gandhi chose not to apologise for fighting against corruption.
He chose not to apologise for fighting against fascism.
He chose not to apologise for speaking the truth. #RahulGandhi
— Renuka Chowdhury (@RenukaCCongress) March 23, 2023
Rahul has been convicted under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. Prosecuting lawyer Ketan Reshamwala said: “The sentence awarded is for two years… he has pleaded that he may be released on bail till the appeal period… The court has granted him bail for 30 days and until appeal, the sentence is suspended,” Reshamwala said.
Shortly after the sentence, Rahul Gandhi tweeted a quote by Mahatma Gandhi. “Mera dharam satya hai aur ahimsa par adharit hai. Satya mera bhagwan hai, ahimsa ussey paaney ka sadhan” (My “religion” is based on “truth and non-violence”).
The case was filed on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi after the Congress leader allegedly said: “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”
The complainant claimed the controversial remark was made at a rally at Kolar in Karnataka, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He said the comment defamed the entire Modi community.
Meanwhile, Rahul’s lawyer said Narendra Modi — and not Purnesh Modi — should have been the complainant because most of Rahul’s speeches targeted the Prime Minister.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi disqualified as MP from Parliament a day after conviction in defamation case