India’s Congress leader Gandhi sentenced to jail for remark on Modi
Clashes have erupted across India in the wake of a court ruling that sentenced opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in prison in a criminal defamation case.
The judgment was passed by the court in Surat, located in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.
Gandhi, the 52-year-old politician, was sentenced on charges of defamation for a 2019 speech in which he referred to thieves as having the surname Modi.
“Accused Rahul Gandhi is held guilty … and sentenced to two years simple imprisonment,” Harish Varma, the chief judicial magistrate of Surat, said in his order.
Gandhi was present at the Surat court, which gave him bail immediately and suspended the sentence for a month.
Gandhi will appeal at a higher court, but it is potentially a big blow for his Congress party ahead of the 2024 general election.
An adviser to the federal government, Kanchan Gupta, said Gandhi could face immediate disqualification from parliament following the conviction. A two-year jail term would mean Gandhi would not be able to contest the 2024 vote.
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