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Rahul Gandhi gets 2-year jail term for Modi surname remark, gets bail for appeal, could lose his Parliament membership

A Gujarat court, Thursday, found Congress scion Rahul Gandhi guilty in the 2019 “Modi surname” defamation case.

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Rahul Gandhi

A Gujarat court on Thursday found Congress scion Rahul Gandhi guilty in the 2019 “Modi surname” defamation case and sentenced him to two years imprisonment–the maximum sentence possible sentence under section IPC sections 499 and 500, under which the Wayanad MP was convicted.

According to reports, a court in Gujarat’s Surat city, convicted Rahul Gandhi under IPC sections 499 and 500 in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged “Modi surname” remark in 2019 and handed him a two-year sentence. However, Gandhi was later granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days allow him to appeal the court’s judgment.

The Congress MP was present in the court when the verdict was announced in under IPC sections 499 and 500 of the IPC—which carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment.  

Rahul Gandhi may lose his Parliament membership?

Rahul Gandhi’s conviction and two-year prison sentence handed by the Surat court may lead to the former Congress President to losing his seat in the Parliament, according to a previous Supreme Court judgement.

The apex court on July 10, 2013 in the Lily Thomas v. Union of India case (along with Lok Prahari v. Union of India), ruled that any ruled that any Member of Parliament (MP), Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Member of a Legislative Council (MLC), convicted of a crime and handed a minimum two-year imprisonment sentence, loses membership of the House with immediate effect.

The Supreme Court, in its landmark judgement, had reverted on its earlier stance wherein convicted members held on to their seats until they exhausted all judicial remedy in lower, state and the apex court.

A Supreme Court bench of Justice A. K. Patnaik and Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya, also declared as unconstitutional, Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, which allowed elected representatives three months to appeal their conviction.

What’s the case?

BJP legislator and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi had filed a complaint against the Wayanad MP for allegedly asking “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”, leading to an FIR against Gandhi under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 499 and 500 which carries a punishment with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both, are mentioned in the IPC.

As per the complaint, Purnesh Modi had alleged that Rahul Gandhi made the remark made at a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which defamed the entire Modi community.

Read Also: Poster war: BJP posters calling for Kejriwal’s ouster come up in Delhi

The final arguments in the case resumed in February 2023 after the Gujarat high court vacated the interim stay it had imposed on the proceedings in March 2022 on the complainant’s plea demanding Rahul Gandhi’s personal appearance in the court.

Gandhi’s lawyer defended that the proceeding was flawed from the beginning as the legal procedure under Section 202 of the CrPC was not followed and also argued that Narendra Modi should have been the complainant in the case as Purnesh Modi was not the target of the Congress leader’s speech.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Thursday put up posters outside the Surat court in support of Rahul Gandhi as he arrived for the proceedings in the defamation case.

The posters said “let’s go to Surat in support of democracy” along with pictures of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev.

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Vijay expresses gratitude to Modi, Rahul Gandhi for congratulatory messages after poll victory

Vijay thanked PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi after his party’s strong Tamil Nadu poll performance, promising governance focused on public welfare.

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Actor vijay

Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for congratulating him on his party’s strong performance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026.

Vijay, who leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), acknowledged the wishes shared by both leaders following the party’s impressive electoral debut, which has significantly altered the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.

Responding to the Prime Minister on social media platform X, Vijay said that his party’s focus would remain on public welfare and development. He emphasised that governance should rise above political differences and aim at improving the lives of the people.

“The well-being of our people remains our only goal… we shall focus on the state’s progress and welfare,” he said, while also expressing hope for support from the Union government in achieving these objectives.

The TVK has emerged as a major political force in the state, breaking the long-standing dominance of traditional parties and marking a major shift in Tamil Nadu’s political dynamics.

According to early developments, the party has staked claim to form the government and may seek additional support if required to prove its majority in the assembly.

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Mamata Banerjee questions poll process, targets Election Commission after defeat

Mamata Banerjee accuses the Election Commission of misconduct after BJP’s historic win in West Bengal, questioning the fairness of the electoral process.

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TMC chief alleges irregularities in electoral process as BJP secures decisive victory in West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India, accusing it of playing “nasty games” during the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

Reacting to her party’s defeat, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief alleged that the electoral process was not conducted fairly and raised serious concerns over the role of authorities in the outcome.

According to reports, Banerjee claimed that the mandate did not reflect the true will of the people, suggesting that irregularities and manipulation may have influenced the results. She questioned the credibility of the election process and indicated that her party would review the situation further.

The remarks came after the Bharatiya Janata Party registered a historic win in West Bengal, marking a major political shift in the state.

Banerjee’s criticism adds to a series of allegations made during and after the election period, where she had earlier also raised concerns about counting procedures and the conduct of central agencies.

Despite the setback, the TMC leadership has signalled that it will continue to challenge the results politically, while maintaining that democratic norms must be upheld.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma attacks Congress after Assam win, says people made Pawan Khera eat Pera

Himanta Biswa Sarma targets Congress after BJP’s Assam win, saying voters made Pawan Khera eat pera.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a sharp attack on the Congress after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance secured a decisive victory in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

Reacting to the results, Sarma took a swipe at Congress leader Pawan Khera, saying that the people of Assam had made him “eat pera,” a remark aimed at highlighting the party’s defeat in the state.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) registered a commanding win, marking its third consecutive term in Assam. The BJP itself won a significant number of seats, while its allies — the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) — also contributed to the alliance’s strong tally.

The victory underlines the BJP’s continued dominance in the northeastern state, with Sarma emerging as the central figure in the party’s campaign and governance narrative.

Political observers note that the scale of the mandate reflects voter support for the party’s leadership and its governance approach, even as the opposition struggled to mount an effective challenge.

With this result, the BJP has further strengthened its position in Assam’s political landscape, while the Congress faces renewed questions over its performance in the state.

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