Rahul Gandhi to appear in Surat court on Thursday

Gandhinagar: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will visit Surat on Thursday to appear in court in a case filed against him by a Surat legislator for allegedly defaming the Modi community by asking "why all thieves have 'Modi' surnames?" at a 2019 poll rally.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda said Rahul would visit Surat on Thursday. "Rahul Gandhi will be in Surat at around 10 a.m. and leave the city by around 12-12:30 p.m. His visit has nothing political about it, but only pertains to his court appearance," Chavda said.

At a Lok Sabha poll rally in Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, Rahul had said, "Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi....how come they all have Modi as common surname? How come all thieves have Modi as common surname?"

Following his remark, Purnesh Modi, the state legislator from Surat West constituency, had filed a case of defamation against Rahul in a local court. The case was filed over violation of IPC clause 499 and 500. Rahul had pleaded not guilty in the Surat court in 2019.