BJP leader and former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
| Photo Credit: ANI
The BJP on March 23, 2023 attacked the Congress over its criticism of the conviction of Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi in a case of criminal defamation by a Surat court, asking whether asking whether the opposition party wanted “complete freedom” for Mr Gandhi to “abuse” others.
Former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad addressed a presser at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, after news broke of Mr Gandhi’s conviction and sentencing for two years in a case of criminal defemation. He hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court’s order by reportedly noting that there were several changes in the judges hearing the matter. “Does the Congress want Rahul Gandhi to have complete freedom to abuse people? There is rule of law in the country and it will prevail,” he said.
Making such comments shows the party does not believe in the judiciary, Mr Prasad said, and asked, “Does it want to keep even the judiciary in its pocket?” He also invoked senior BJP leader L.K. Advani to invoke respect for judiciary. “Despite being deputy Prime Minister, Advaniji went to court, BJP leaders faced cases. government was of the NDA but cases against BJP leaders werent withdrawn,” said Mr Prasad.
Asked whether Mr Gandhi would be disqualified from the Lok Sabha, Mr Prasad said it is for Speaker Om Birla to decide. A court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi.
Mr Prasad said Mr. Gandhi insulted people with the Modi surname with his comments, asserting that it is very much defamatory, adding that Mr Gandhi was insulting people by citing their caste.