Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before the MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday for a hearing in a defamation case. Despite being granted bail earlier this year, Gandhi has been summoned by Special Magistrate Shubham Verma to record his statement.
According to Congress district president Abhishek Singh Rana, Gandhi will arrive at Lucknow airport at 9 am on Friday before proceeding to Sultanpur. This court appearance is in relation to a defamation case filed by local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Mishra on August 4, 2018.
Background of the Case
The defamation case against Gandhi originates from comments he made on May 8, 2018, during a press conference in Bengaluru amid the Karnataka elections. Gandhi allegedly made objectionable remarks about Amit Shah, who was then the BJP president and is now the Union Home Minister. Gandhi accused the BJP, which claims to uphold honest and clean politics, of having a party president who is an “accused” in a murder case.
Court Proceedings
Although Gandhi was granted bail in this case on February 20, 2023, the court has now summoned him to record his statement. This development underscores the ongoing legal proceedings despite the earlier bail decision.
BJP’s Stance on NEET Issue
In a related political development, the BJP has demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi concerning the NEET-UG paper leak. On Wednesday, July 24, the BJP accused Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, of undermining trust in India’s examination system following the leak. The Supreme Court recently dismissed pleas seeking the cancellation and re-test of the exam, ruling that there was no evidence of a systemic breach affecting the sanctity of the exam, and the leak was confined to a couple of cities.
Gandhi’s court appearance and the NEET controversy reflect the broader political tensions and legal battles involving the Congress leader and the ruling BJP.
