BJP using three ‘weapons’ of sedition, corruption, defamation to silence Opp, says Kanhaiya

Criticising the recent verdict and subsequent disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Modi defamation case, Kumar said, "If a person is called a thief, how can it become an insult to a society or community? (Nathuram) Godse had killed (Mahatma) Gandhi. Will people say that Godse is from "our community” and for that “you are defaming our community?”

By: Express News Service

Ahmedabad | Updated: April 1, 2023 07:37 AM IST

3 min read

Kanhaiya Kumar, BJP, sedition, corruption, defamation, Rahul Gandhi conviction, Rahul Gandhi defamation case, Congress, Opposition, indian express, indian express news

Kumar also congratulated Chief Judicial Magistrate of Surat district court HH Varma, who convicted Rahul Gandhi, for his promotion to a sessions judge (Express Photo)

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Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar lashed out at the BJP saying it was using the “three weapons” of sedition, corruption and defamation to silence the Opposition in the country. “Corruption charges are levelled against the Opposition leaders. If they surrender before the government, all the charges are waived. If not, one has to go to jail,” said Kumar in Surat on Friday.

Criticising the recent verdict and subsequent disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Modi defamation case, Kumar said, “If a person is called a thief, how can it become an insult to a society or community? (Nathuram) Godse had killed (Mahatma) Gandhi. Will people say that Godse is from “our community” and for that “you are defaming our community?”

Kumar also congratulated Chief Judicial Magistrate of Surat district court HH Varma, who convicted Rahul Gandhi, for his promotion to a sessions judge. According to sources, Varma was promoted as a sessions judge nearly a week ago, days before the Modi judgement.

Reiterating the Congress line that Rahul was convicted to divert the attention from the Adani issue, Kumar said, “If you feel that some special benefit is given to Adani in the Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and during the UPA government rule, we are ready to face probe. The development graph of Adani was earlier moving in a straight line. But, his wealth scaled heights since 2014 after Narendra Modi became the PM.”

He also drew parallels between Ramayana and the BJP’s claim of Ram Rajya in the country. “In Ram Rajya, Mata Sita had to undergo an “agni pariksha”. If Ram Rajya has been established in the country, in Modi Raj, why has his friend not been allowed to be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC),” he asked.

He added that the Congress was not worried about Gandhi but needed answers on the Adani issue. “We have not come here to protect Rahul Gandhi. We have come here to spread awareness among the people, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is saving his friend (Gautam Adani) for not allowing the JPC probe against him for his offshore wealth of Rs 20,000 crore in a shell company,” said Kumar.

The former JNU Students’ Union president also took an indirect swipe at Viramgam BJP MLA Hardik Patel. “We had an old friend in Gujarat. He shared the same stage with us. When he was with us, the BJP termed him an anti-national. Now, he is clean like clothes washed by a washing machine. All the cases on him have been withdrawn. Those BJP leaders had earlier termed him as a member of the ‘tukde tukde gang’ for his demand of Patel reservation,” he said.

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