New Delhi [India] : Congress on Friday said that they will approach the Supreme Court shortly after the Gujarat High Court today upheld Sessions Court’s order denying stay on conviction of the former Wayanad MP in the defamation case against ‘Modi surname’ remark.
“We will fight both the political battle and the legal battle,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted. Kharge said that Rahul Gandhi had always fought for the truth and will do so in future too.
Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said, “We believe this decision (by the Gujarat HC) is wrong on the basis of facts and laws.” “We have always respected the judiciary and held it in high esteem but we believe that this decision is wrong – both in facts as well as law…The political fate (of Rahul Gandhi) is not decided really by the decision of the court. It is decided by the people of the country and the people of the country are solidly behind Rahul Gandhi…,” Bansal told reporters at the Congress party’s headquarters in the national capital.
Terming the verdict as “unfortunate”, Congress MP K Suresh said,”…Now, we are going to Supreme Court. We believe in the judiciary and that is why we believe that the Supreme Court will give judgement in favour of Rahul Gandhi.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that the Gujarat High Court’s ruling in the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was being studied and the “judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further.” “We have noted the verdict of the single-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The reasoning of the judge is being studied, as it should be, and Abhishek Singhvi will be briefing the media in detail at 3 pm. The judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further,” Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
The Gujarat High Court’s decision implies that Rahul Gandhi will not be able to contest elections or seek revocation of the suspension of his status as a Member of Parliament. After the High Court announced its verdict, Congress workers raised slogans and protested at the party headquarters in the national capital. In Rajasthan Congress workers sporting black bands carried out a protest march in Jaipur, Congress has asked all the PCCs to take out protests.