BJP Must Stop ‘Petty Politics’ After Rahul Gandhi’s Acquittal, Says Congress MP Manickam Tagore

The verdict was delivered earlier in the day by a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in a case concerning alleged objectionable remarks about Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was serving as BJP president when the complaint was filed in 2018.

Speaking to IANS, Tagore described the case as politically motivated and said it had consumed the time of both Gandhi and the judiciary.

“We welcome the verdict, but the BJP and RSS must stop these kinds of things; the right to speech should not be stopped,” Tagore said.

Tagore Says Rahul Gandhi Will Not Be Intimidated by Cases

The Congress MP alleged that BJP leaders had filed numerous cases against Gandhi across the country, forcing him to attend court proceedings while continuing his political activities.

Tagore claimed that more than 45 cases had been registered against the Congress leader by people associated with the BJP. He maintained that Gandhi would not be deterred by legal challenges and would continue raising issues concerning the public.

“Rahul Gandhi is a leader who is not going to be afraid of cases. There are more than 45 cases registered across India by BJP people to make Rahul Gandhi run from one court to another,” he said.

Tagore added that the acquittal was welcome and urged the BJP not to engage in what he characterised as politically motivated litigation.

His remarks reflected the Congress party’s criticism of the legal proceedings against Gandhi, although the allegations of political motivation were Tagore’s own assertions.

Court Acquits Gandhi in Defamation Case

Rahul Gandhi was present in court when the verdict was pronounced. According to the report, the court concluded that his remarks did not amount to defamation, resulting in his acquittal in the case.

The complaint stemmed from alleged remarks concerning Amit Shah made in 2018, when Shah was leading the BJP.

The ruling was welcomed by Congress leaders, who criticised the proceedings against Gandhi and alleged that such cases diverted his attention and consumed his time.

The acquittal marks the conclusion of the case at the current stage of proceedings, while Tagore’s comments have added to the political exchange between the Congress and the BJP over the use of defamation cases against political leaders.