'Can I file a defamation suit if someone says you Punjabis are quarrelsome and abusive, for example?' In court, Rahul Gandhi's lawyer stated. As a sessions court in Surat on Thursday commenced the hearing on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea for a stay on his conviction in the Modi-surname defamation case, Rahul Gandhi's lawyer senior advocate RS Cheema said Rahul Gandhi was elected from Wayanad by a record margin of votes and his disqualification as a result of the conviction will lead to irreparable loss and irreversible injury, Bar and Bench reported. Citing that only an aggrieved person can file a complaint, Cheema appearing for Rahul Gandhi said, "My speech isn't defamatory unless drawn out of context, looked under a magnifying glass to make it defamatory. basically, litigation was inflicted upon me for daring to be vociferously critical of our PM. The trial was harsh and unfair to me." Raising the issue of the complainant's (Purnesh Modi's) geographical jurisdiction, Cheema said the speech was made in Kolar and the complainant received a message on his Whatsapp. "If someone says you Punjabis are quarrelsome and abusive etc., then can I go and file a defamation case? Such words are often used for Gujaratis, other linguistic groups, religious entities etc." Rahul Gandhi's lawyer said. "At 11:51 am my client is pronounced guilty and within half n hour he is handed over the harshest and maximum punishment. I want to express shock that the trial court for saying ‘Aapko Supreme Court warning diya tha. Bade dheeth ho, aap kuch nhi samje’. I am sorry I am using strong words but yes the judge was misled and was harsh," Cheema said. Rahul Gandhi's lawyer said his client's apology to the Supreme Court for 'Chowkidar chor' comments was in November 2019, while this 'Modi surname' comment was made in April 2019. "So how can the judge rely on the proceedings where the complainant has said I was admonished by the top court?" Cheema argued.
