Opponents desperate to silence me: Rahul Gandhi on defamation cases

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said defamation cases filed against him were an attempt by his political rivals desperate to silence him. Gandhi, who appeared before a magisterial court here and pleaded not guilty in a criminal defamation case filed against him for his “why do all thieves share the Modi surname” remarks, made the charge in a tweet.

“I am in Surat today to appear in a defamation case filed against me by my political opponents, desperate to silence me. I am grateful for the love & support of the Congress workers who have gathered here to express their solidarity with me,” Gandhi tweeted.

He appeared before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate B H Kapadia here and pleaded not guilty when asked by the court whether he accept the charges, levelled against him by BJP legislator from Surat-West, Purnesh Modi. After Gandhi’s plea was recorded, his lawyers moved an application seeking a permanent exemption from personal appearance in the next hearings. After Modi’s lawyers raised objection to the exemption plea, the court said it will decide on the plea on December 10.