The Gujarat High Court denied Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s request for an interim stay of conviction in a criminal defamation case tied to his “Modi surname” remark. Gandhi’s counsel argued for interim relief or a final order, but the court said it will pass a final order after its summer vacation ends in early June. The complainant’s lawyer opposed Gandhi’s request for relief, saying he should not approach the court if he cannot apologize for his defamatory comments. The court will review the records and proceedings before passing a final order after the summer vacation.
Gandhi is a former Congress president who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019. He had requested a stay of conviction in the hopes of being reinstated as a Member of Parliament. The original complaint was filed by Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Modi. His counsel argued that Gandhi, being a leader of a national political party that has ruled the country for over 40 years, must “learn a lesson” that using abusive language for political opponents cannot be tolerated. Gandhi refused to apologize for his remarks, even after his disqualification as an MP.
