London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 04, 2023

Rahul Gandhi: India's Congress leader sentenced to jail for Modi 'thieves' remark

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in prison in a criminal defamation case.
The Congress MP was convicted by the court in Gujarat state for 2019 comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname at an election rally.

Mr Gandhi, who was present in court for sentencing, remains out of jail on bail for 30 days and will appeal.

His party accused Mr Modi's government of targeting him. General elections are due next year.

A Congress spokesman said the ruling was full of "legally unsustainable conclusions" - and vowed its politicians would not be silenced.

"Make no mistake. All your attempts to create a chilling effect, a throttling effect, a strangulating effect on open fearless speech relating to public influence will not stop either Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party," Abhishek Manu Singhvi told a news conference.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says due judicial process has been followed in the case, which dates back to the campaign ahead of the last election.

Speaking at a rally in Karnataka state in April 2019, Mr Gandhi had said: "Why do all these thieves have Modi as their surname? Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi."

Nirav Modi is a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon while Lalit Modi is a former chief of the Indian Premier League who has been banned for life by the country's cricket board. Mr Gandhi argues that he made the comment to highlight corruption and it was not directed against any community.

The case against him was filed on the basis of a complaint by Purnesh Modi, a BJP lawmaker who said Mr Gandhi's comments had defamed the entire Modi community.

But some experts were puzzled by the order handed down by the court in Surat. Legal scholar Gautam Bhatia tweeted that "references to a generic class of persons" - surnames in this case - are not "actionable unless an individual can show a direct reference to themselves".

"If a man says 'all lawyers are thieves', then I, as a lawyer, cannot file a case against him for defamation unless I can show its imputation aimed at me," Mr Bhatia said.

Mr Gandhi's lawyer, Kirit Panwala, told BBC Gujarati their defence was based on four points: "Firstly, Mr Gandhi is not a resident of Gujarat and so, before the complaint, an inquiry should be conducted. Secondly, there is no community named Modi. Thirdly, there is no association of people with Modi as their surname and lastly, there was no ill intention behind Mr Gandhi's speech."

India's criminal defamation law is British-era legislation under which there can be a maximum prison sentence of two years, a fine or both. Free speech advocates have often argued the law goes against the principles of freedom and that it is used by politicians to silence their critics.

In 2016, some top Indian politicians including Mr Gandhi filed legal pleas arguing for defamation to be decriminalised. But India's Supreme Court upheld the validity of the law, saying the "right to free speech cannot mean that a citizen can defame the other".

Some have raised questions over Mr Gandhi's status as a member of parliament after the conviction.

Defamation, by itself, cannot be a ground for disqualification in India. An MP can be disqualified from the office for offences ranging from promoting enmity, and election-related fraud. But they can also be disqualified if sentenced for two years or more for an offence.

A two-year jail term would mean Mr Gandhi would not be able to contest the 2024 general election.

"What they will do [is] they are likely to go to the top court, which will stay the judgement," says a political commentator, who insisted on anonymity. "But the question is: does this judgement mean that there's a sword of Damocles hanging over any leader? There are cases filed against leaders for all sorts of so-called crimes. Normally nothing happens."

Mr Gandhi is the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, which has given three prime ministers to India. His great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first and longest-serving prime minister of India. His grandmother, Indira Gandhi, was the first female prime minister of the country, and his father, Rajiv Gandhi, was India's youngest prime minister.

Their party, the Congress, governed India almost continuously - except for a few years - from independence in 1947 to 2014, when Narendra Modi's BJP swept to power by a landslide. Since then, the Congress has become a shadow of its former self, and was routed again by the BJP in 2019.

Only once in India's history has the main opposition leader been jailed. In December 1978, Indira Gandhi, by then no longer PM, was expelled from the lower house and jailed for nine days for committing a breach of privilege and contempt of parliament.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
Close
0:00
0:00
The driver has been described by authorities as a 21-year-old woman from Tallahassee
You Are So Beautiful
Joe Biden falls at the Air Force Graduation
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
America's Got Talent…
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Nvidia Joins Tech Giants as First Chipmaker to Reach $1 Trillion Valuation
Sattahip Motor Show 20
Drone Attack on Moscow's Wealthiest Neighborhoods Suspected to be Launched by Ukraine
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Elon Musk Meets Chinese Finance Minister in Beijing
A kiss to build a dream on
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Hold Power Talks with President Biden in Washington
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
AI ‘extinction’ should be same priority as nuclear war – experts
Mean Blues
Prominent Hacker Forum RaidForums Suffers Substantial Data Breach
La Chansonnette
Climate cultists thought they had sabotaged another beautiful event — then the cameraman had his revenge.
Pattaya Addicts
Nvidia CEO Huang says firms, individuals without AI expertise will be left behind
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
WPP Revolutionizes Advertising with NVIDIA's AI Powerhouse
Dream a little dream of me
Two US Employees Fired For Chasing Robbers Out Of Store As They Broke ''Company Policy''
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
Pfizer, the EU, and disappearing ink - Smoke, Mirrors, and the Billion-Dose Pfizer Vaccine Deal: EU's 'Open Secret
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
Actor Tom Hanks told Harvard University graduates to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth for their own gain
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
The Sussexes' Royal Rebound: Could Harry and Meghan Markle Return to the UK?
Rondo Alla Turca
A provocative study suggests: Left-Wing Extremism and its Unsettling Connection to Psychopathy and Narcissism
Kiss of fire
France Arrests 10 on Suspicion of Failing to Respond in Time to Migrant Drowning
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
Neuralink Receives FDA Approval for First-in-Human Clinical Study
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
Ukrainian Intelligence Official Admits to Assassination Attempts on Putin
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
WATCH THIS: democracy in Russia is so bad!
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
Ed Davey: It is possible for a woman to have a penis
La vie en rose
Bernard Arnault Loses $11.2 Billion in One Day as Investors Fear Slowdown in US Growth Will Reduce Demand for Luxury Products
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
Russian’s Wagner Group leader: “I am not a chef, I am a butcher. Russia is in danger of a revolution like in 1917.”
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
TikTok Sues Montana Over Law Banning the App
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
Ron DeSantis Jumps Into 2024 Presidential Race, Setting Up Showdown With Trump
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
Steve Jobs introducing Apple's iPhone, exactly 16 years ago.
Only you (And you alone)
Banking Behemoth vs Ex-Boss: The PMorgan-Epstein Entanglement
Strangers In The Night
China overtakes Japan as world's top car exporter
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
Banking Behemoth vs Ex-Boss: The PMorgan-Epstein Entanglement
Summer time
Elon Musk's SpaceX and Italy's Unipol join forces to help Italians hit by flooding
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
Talks between US House Republicans and President Biden's Democratic administration on raising the federal government's $31.4tn debt ceiling have paused
Aux Champs Elysees
Biden Administration Eyeing High-Profile Visits to China: The Biden Administration is heating things up by looking into setting up a series of top-level visits to Beijing by top officials in the coming months
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
New evidence in special counsel probe may undercut Trump’s claim documents he took were automatically declassified
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
A French court of appeals confirmed former President Nicolas Sarkozy's three-year jail term for corruption and influence peddling
She
Debt Ceiling Crises Have Unleashed Political Chaos
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Weibao Wang, a former software engineer at Apple, was charged with stealing trade secrets related to autonomous systems, including self-driving cars
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Mobile phone giant Vodafone to cut 11,000 jobs globally over three years as new boss says its performance not good enough
Radiohead - Creep
Elon Musk compares George Soros to Magneto, the supervillain from the Marvel Comics series.
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
Warren Buffett Sells TSMC Shares Over Concerns About Taiwan's Stability
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
New Study Finds That Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia Is a Major Cause of Death in COVID-19 Patients Who Require Ventilator Assistance
Pentatonix Havana
Vienna: Passenger Plays Hitler Speeches on Train, Causes Panic
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
Remarkable video from our Fox drone team
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
The official tapes of Trump's deposition in the E. Jean Carroll battery (rape) and defamation case have been released.
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Here is the full video that the media are purposely not sharing
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
King Charles III being crowned.
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
Newly released video of Donald Trump’s rape trial deposition:
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Video: Ukraine MP Punches Russian Representative At Global Meet
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Russia accused Ukraine of attacking the Kremlin with drones in an attempt to kill Putin
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
Ahead of King Charles’ coronation, British guards rehearse in the middle of the night in London
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×