'Modi Surname' Remark: Rahul Gandhi To Appear In Gujarat Court Today For Verdict In Defamation Case

The defamation case refers to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's alleged remarks on 'Modi surname' during a 2019 rally in Karnataka.

Pic Credit: File Photo

Surat: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen at Delhi airport on Thursday morning (March 23), presumably leaving for Gujarat as he is expected to appear in a court in Surat for an order in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The case is related to his alleged 'Modi surname' remarks wherein he had allegedly said, "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?"

Congress to back Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat

Congress leaders in Surat such as GPCC president Jagdish Thakor, legislature party leader Amit Chavda, AICC in-charge of Gujarat Raghu Sharma and other MLAs are expected to show support for the leader.

#WATCH | Gujarat: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches Surat District Court

The court is likely to pass an order in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark. pic.twitter.com/uCz56SP5nz — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2023

#WATCH | Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches Delhi airport.

Rahul Gandhi to visit Surat today as Surat District Court is likely to pass an order in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark. pic.twitter.com/aoaJwr0k4D — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2023

Rahul Gandhi's alleged remarks about 'Modi surname'

Gandhi had made the alleged remarks at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma had last week concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and set March 23 to pronounce its judgment in the four-year-old defamation case, Gandhi's lawyer Kirit Panwala said as quoted by PTI.

"Rahul Gandhi will remain present in the court (on Thursday) when it pronounces its judgment in the criminal defamation case against him. He has made it clear that we respect the court whatever its judgment. We will welcome our leader and show him our support. The Congress cannot be browbeaten with cases like these," said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi to PTI.

After the Bharat Jodo Yatra, this will be Rahul Gandhi's first visit to Gujarat. Earlier, he was in the state to campaign for the Assembly elections in December 2022. The Congress failed to perform during the elections, winning just 17 out of 182 seats.

BJP MLA Purnesh Modi who filed the complaint against Gandhi, alleged that the Congress leader defamed the entire Modi community by purportedly saying, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?"