Indian court denies Rahul Gandhi’s appeal to stay defamation conviction

On Thursday, a Gujarat court denied Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s bid to suspend his defamation conviction, casting question on his ability to run in next year’s election.

Gandhi was convicted this month by a state BJP lawmaker for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Modis.

“The Surat district court has not granted a stay on Rahul Gandhi’s conviction,” local Congress politician and lawyer Naishadh Desai told reporters outside the courtroom.

We’ll appeal at Gujarat High Court tomorrow. “We trust the judiciary to uphold justice and save democracy,” he stated.

Gandhi’s jail term was suspended after Thursday’s ruling.

Gandhi, 52, lost his parliamentary seat in March after being convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for 2019 campaign rally remarks. Indian lawmakers with two-year sentences cannot seek for office.

Senior Congress politician and Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters that the party was optimistic a higher court will overturn the verdict.

“Rahul Gandhi has not spoken anything remotely defamatory in this case, he will continue to speak for the people,” he said.

Gandhi asked in 2019: “How come all thieves have the name Modi?”

Purnesh Modi, a Gujarat BJP legislator, sued Gandhi for defamation.

The BJP has often accused the Gandhi family of corruption to weaken Congress and tarnish the reputation of a dynasty that ruled Indian politics for decades after independence in 1947.