Welcoming the Gujarat High Court's decision rejecting Rahul Gandhi's plea to stay his conviction in a defamation case, the BJP on Friday said the Congress leader is in “chronic habit” to abuse and defame others and will have to face “ consequences” .
Addressing a press conference here, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul was in the habit of insulting others by his comments without being careful or doing proper homework.
He said there are seven-eight defamation cases against the former Congress president. Prasad said the Congress leader refused to apologise for his 'Modi surname' jibe and displayed “irresponsible arrogance”.
If he behaves like this and defames people and institutions, the law will catch up with him, he said adding he will have to face consequences, Prasad said. The BJP leader noted that Gandhi has also been accused of insulting a great patriot such as Veer Savarkar and the Hindutva organisation RSS. Prasad asked the Congress why it can’t train Gandhi to speak with decorum. “The Surat trial court, which sentenced him for two years, gave him the opportunity to say sorry. But what did he do? He said he won’t say sorry because he is not VD Savarkar. He defamed legendary freedom fighter Savarkar also and his grandson has also sued Gandhi,” said Prasad.
It is his arrogance that he believes he is above the law as he is from the Gandhi family, Prasad said. On Congress party’s contention that it was disproportionate to give the maximum two year sentence available under defamation, Prasad said, “The Congress asks why such a harsh sentence was awarded. We ask why such a harsh offence was committed?” He also called Rahul a “serial offender” in relation to the defamation cases.