Rahul Gandhi gets 2 years for defamation of Indian PM Modi

23/3/2023 18:46

        An Indian court found opposition leader Rahul Gandhi guilty of defamation Thursday over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname and sentenced him to two years in prison.
        
        The case against Gandhi dates back to an election rally in 2019 where he said, "Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?" In his speech, he then went on to name fugitive Indian diamond tycoon Nirav Modi, banned Indian Premier League bossLalit Modi, and Narendra Modi.
        
        Narendra Modi is not related to either of the other two.
        
        The defamation case against Gandhi was filed by a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in western Gujarat state. The complainant, Purnesh Modi, said Gandhi's comments had "defamed the entire Modi community."
        
        Modi is a common last name in western Gujarat state.