Last Updated: August 04, 2023, 17:33 IST
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at AICC headquarters after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark, restoring his status as an MP, in New Delhi, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. (PTI)
This comes as the apex court ruled staying his conviction in a 2019 defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark
As the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that it may take time, but truth always wins and thanked people for supporting him throughout.
Addressing a presser for the first time after the verdict, Gandhi said that “aaj nahi toh kal, kal nahi toh parson sachai ki jeet hoti hai, truth always triumphs, if not today then tomorrow or the day after. I thank people for their support.”
Gandhi also said that his path is clear, adding “I have clarity in my mind that what I have to do and what is my work. I thank the people who helped us. I also thank the people for their love and support.”
#WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses the media for the first time after Supreme Court stayed his conviction in ‘Modi’ surname remark defamation case.He says, “Aaj nahi toh kal, kal nahi toh parson sachai ki jeet hoti hai. But my path is clear. I have clarity in my… pic.twitter.com/VN0XBtNGBJ
— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2023
This comes as the apex court ruled staying his conviction in a 2019 defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark. The Gujarat High Court had earlier upheld his conviction, which was stayed by the Supreme Court on Friday.
Along with him Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said this victory was not just for Gandhi but for the people of the country and democracy. “It is a very happy day for us, democracy has won, Constitution has won…. I welcome the Supreme Court judgment, the Constitution is still alive,” Kharge added.
Gandhi had earlier reacted to the apex court’s judgement and said that his duty of protecting the idea of India remains the same and he would continue to do so.
“Come what may, my duty remains the same. Protect the idea of India,” he said on Twitter soon after the apex court granted him relief by staying his conviction by a lower court in Gujarat.
After the judgement, Gandhi was accorded a grand welcome by Congress workers at the All India Congress Committee headquarters. The former Congress chief visited the party office along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Ecstatic party workers at the AICC headquarters danced to the beats of drums, distributed sweets and unfurled the Congress flag to welcome Gandhi.
Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on March 24, a day after he was convicted by a Surat court in the Modi surname case, The Gujarat High Court (HC) had in July dismissed his plea for relief.
