New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) BJP functionaries from the ‘Teli’ caste and leaders of the community Thursday demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his “defamatory” remark against people with ‘Modi’ surname, following his conviction by a Gujarat court.
They also warned of an agitation against the Congress leader. The ‘Modi’ surname largely belongs to people from the ‘Teli’ community, who are part of the Other Backward Classes.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule condemned the former Congress president for “insulting” Telis, and said it showed his “casteist” mindset.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also comes from an oil-pressing backward community of Gujarat.
“This is an insult to the OBCs in general and the community will show Gandhi his place,” Bawankule, who hails from the same community, told reporters in Mumbai.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das accused Gandhi of crossing all limits of decency and asked him to tender an apology to the people of the country. The fact that Gandhi has opted for bail shows that he has accepted his guilt, he told reporters.
All India Teli Mahasangh’s Ram Kumar said in a statement that Gandhi has resorted to “abusing” others after his party lost power, and added that people will teach him a lesson.
The Congress leader’s comments have not dented the prime minister’s popularity a bit and he should tender an apology, Ram Kumar said.
Delhi Teli Sahu Samaj president S Rajesh said people of the community were happy with Gandhi’s conviction for his disparaging comments against them.
Wardha MP Ramdas Tadas alleged that Gandhi has lost his “mental balance” and said members of the community will condemn him.
A court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remarks.
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma, which held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said.
Gandhi was present in the court when the verdict was pronounced.
The case was filed against Gandhi for his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remark, based on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.
The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remark while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. PTI KR IJT
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