‘Conspiracy to eliminate non-BJP leaders’: Kejriwal on Rahul Gandhi’s jail sentence

• The Delhi Chief Minister said that AAP respects the court but disagrees with its decisions
• Only Rahul Gandhi can compete with the NDA government, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said
• The court held Gandhi guilty under Section 504 (provocation to provoke breach of peace) of IPC

After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a defamation case for his "surname Modi" remarks, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal criticized the BJP-led Center and alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to "eliminate non-BJP leaders and parties." by their prosecution".

Kejriwal said that while he has his differences with the Congress, it is not right to drag Gandhi into the defamation case. "It is the job of the public and the opposition to ask questions. We respect the court but disagree with the decision," he tweeted.

Throwing light on Gandhi's bail, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party believes in law, judiciary and will fight against him according to law. "He was released on bail. We knew this from the beginning because they kept changing judges,” Kharge told to reports.

Taking a jibe at the BJP government, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said "dictators" may be ahead but "the deprived are together".

Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the judiciary, Election Commission and Enforcement Directorate are being misused and all decisions are taken under influence. Praising Gandhi, he said, "Rahul Gandhi is a courageous man and only he can compete with the NDA government."

The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all thieves have Modi as a common surname? remarks on a complaint filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. The Wayanad MP said this while addressing a rally in Kolar, Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The court found Gandhi guilty under Section 504 (provocation to cause breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Surat District Court sentenced him to two years in prison, but later suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow Gandhi to appeal to a higher court.