BJP on July 7 welcomed the Gujarat High Court’s order refusing to vacate a stay on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction by a court in Surat in a case of criminal defamation, with BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad stating that it had become a “chronic habit” of the Congress leader to “abuse and defame” leaders and organisations.
Mr. Gandhi had been convicted for criminal defamation by a court in Surat earlier this year, after he was sued by BJP leader Purnesh Modi, who took offence at his speech in Karnataka where he made pejorative references to the Modi surname. Mr. Gandhi, who lost his membership of the Lok Sabha as he was sentenced for two years upon his conviction, had moved the Gujarat High Court in staying his conviction, which the court on Friday did not do.
Mr. Prasad, while addressing a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi said, “We would like to ask Congress, why can’t you control Rahul Gandhi? Why can’t you train him to speak properly? He is your leader.”
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He also said that the matter would have ended if the Mr. Gandhi had proffered an apology. “Had he apologised in this matter, it would have ended. It has become a chronic habit of Rahul Gandhi to abuse, defame and almost shower the worst kind of abuses against eminent leaders and organisations,” Mr. Prasad said.
