Rahul Gandhi to appeal against defamation conviction in Surat court today, sister Priyanka to accompany

On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Surat, Gujarat, to file an appeal in court against his conviction in a criminal defamation case for his "Modi surname" remarks. Senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the chief ministers of three Congress-ruled states, are expected to accompany him.

Seeking suspension of his sentence

According to his lawyers, the matter is expected to be heard by the sessions court on the same day, and Gandhi will seek suspension of his sentence by the court.

Who will be in Surat?

The Congress leader will arrive in Surat at around 2 pm, and senior party leaders such as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress Rajya Sabha member K C Venugopal will be there, along with Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Background on the case

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma convicted Gandhi and sentenced him to two years in jail on March 23, in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his "Modi surname" remarks. The court held him guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, granted him bail, and suspended the sentence for 30 days to appeal in a higher court.

Disqualification from the Lok Sabha

On March 24, following his conviction by the Surat court, the former Congress chief was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Unless a higher court stays his conviction and sentence, he would be unable to contest elections for eight years.

The remark that led to conviction

The case was filed against Gandhi after a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. The Congress leader allegedly made remarks at a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, on April 13, 2019, during the Lok Sabha election campaign, saying, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?"

The Representation of the People Act, 1951

Gandhi's sentence of two years invited his disqualification from the membership of Parliament under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The act states that an MP or MLA convicted for any offense and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction.