Defamation case: Cong to move SC

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said it will move the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to stay Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case.

The party said the verdict redoubles its resolve to pursue the matter further and it will fight the battle both legally and politically. In Kozhikode, AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said at a party programme, “There is one more option before us... the Supreme Court. Let’s see. The Congress party will seek that option too”.

The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark.

“We will study the Gujarat HC verdict on Sh. @RahulGandhi ji’s conviction and explore all available legal options. Rahul ji is a fierce voice that takes the Modi government head on. No force can silence him, the truth will triumph and justice will ultimately prevail. Every patriotic Indian is in support of Rahul ji in this fight,” Venugopal said on Twitter.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said no party leader or worker is afraid of BJP’s “political conspiracy”.

He alleged that the BJP has used “lies” as part of a political conspiracy to get Rahul Gandhi suspended from Parliament, asserting that the Congress leader has been fighting for truth and will continue his fight.

“Shri Rahul Gandhi has always fought for the truth, and will continue to fight in the future. The truth is that fugitives like Lalit Modi, Nirav Modi, Mehul “Bhai”, Vijay Mallya, Jatin Mehta, under the supervision of the Modi government fled the country and reached abroad suspiciously after taking public money.

“The BJP freed them, but used lies as part of a political conspiracy, put Mr. Rahul Gandhi in the dock and got him suspended from Parliament,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.

“In BJP’s rule, firstly the corrupt people run away, and on the other hand Modi ji’s party plays the game of “grabbing power by washing those accused of corruption by inducting them in its folds,” said Venugopal. (PTI)