While anti BJP opposition readies for unity in Bengaluru conclave, Rahul files petition in Supreme Court on Saturday for seeking relief

The general elections are near by eight months and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s sentence for two years in a defamation case in which he lost his parliament membership for his erroneous comments made against Modi Surname has really put him in a state of quandary, especially after the Gujarat High Court turning down his appeal for relief.

Since, the Congress leader and Nehru Gandhi family scion has only one and final option to approach the highest court for relief he approached the Supreme Court on Saturday through efiling of the petition on certain logical grounds.

In case Rahul gets expeditious relief he will be able to contest future election presently continuing as Waynad MP and in case he does not get justice he will not be able to contest election for next eight years including undergoing two years sentence.

The hectic anti BJP opposition unity efforts are in full swing these days with Congress party and Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Mallikarjun Kharge playing a crucial role to ensure being the largest national party.

Every effort is being made to ensure that Rahul Gandhi emerges as the sole leader as a unanimous choice to lead this conglomeration.

But everything depends on the supreme Court judgement if it goes in favour of Rahul Gandhi and he is relieved of the impending legal impasse enabling him contest future election including continuing his Lok Sabha membership from Waynad Kerala.

The next Bengaluru conclave is due for 17 th and 18 th July, the earlier being successful in Patna on 23 rd June hosted by the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two year imprisonment which amounted to his losing the Lok Sabha membership in a defamation case by one Purnesh Modi of BJP former state minister of Gujarat accusing Rahul Gandhi for insulting and hurting the Modi community by his erroneous and degrading comments.

Though his sentence was stayed by the lower Court but the high court of Gujarat has turned down his appeal for relief compelling Rahul Gandhi approach the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, in a petition filed in Supreme Court Rahul Gandhi requested that if the relief is not granted to him against the quashing judgement of the Gujarat high Court in a defamation case filed by Purnesh Modi of BJP he will lose eight years of his career.

It may be recalled that under section 8{3} of the Representation of People’s Act, any person convicted and sentenced to two years of imprisonment stands disqualified to contest elections for the jail term including six year after undergoing the sentence.

On March 23, Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in a defamation case filed against him for his objectionable remarks against Modi Surname in his speech in the 2019 general elections.

Thereafter he was disqualified from his Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and on July 7 the High Court Gujarat against turned down his appeal( petition) compelling him to approach the apex court of India.

According to a TOI by Dhananjay Mahapatra report the top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the offence registered against him at the behest of one Purnesh Modi whose lawyer PS Sudheer has filed a caveat in the SC to ensure that Rahul does not get any ex parte stay on HC decision was neither serious in nature nor fell in the category of “moral turpitude”, to warrant such a severe sentence further questioning the Locas standi of the complainant to file the defamation case against him saying that when the defamatory words were used against political opponents it does not amount to have been used against any particular community as charged by Purnesh Modi, petitioner. Moreover there is no evidence as, such in terms of the Evidence act or IT Act said, Rahul Gandhi.

Terming the defamation case filed against him on flimsy grounds Rahul Gandhi said that this amounts to forbidding him as an elected MP from Wayanad to voice the grievances of Wayanad electorates in Parliament as well as participating in the democratic governance of the country.

The Congress leader said the three specific persons named in the speech, who alone could have possibly suffered prejudice, have not sued or complained. Instead the complainant simply has a Modi surname from Gujarat who has neither shown not been held to be prejudiced or damaged in any specific or personal sense said the petition. Thirdly, the complainant admitted that he comes from Modi Vanilla Samaj. This term is not interchangeable with Modi he said in his petition said the report.