Bengaluru: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is appearing before a special court in Bengaluru on Friday in relation to a defamation case filed by BJP for releasing defamatory advertisements in leading newspapers.
In June 2023, BJP filed its complaint and alleged false and reckless allegations made in the advertisements released by the accused persons on May 5, 2023, in all leading newspapers in Karnataka during assembly poll campaigning.
Ahead of the assembly polls last year, the advertisement blamed the then BJP government in the State for indulging in large-scale corruption during its rule period 2019-2013 under the “Corruption rate card” tag and the accusing slogan of “40 per cent Commission Sarkara (government)”. On his social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi posted this “defamatory advertisement,” which the BJP pointed out. BJP also alleged in the complaint that the advertisements were released by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (State Congress) via Shivkumar in his best ability as president and by Siddaramaiah as then Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
On June 1, the court granted bail to CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM Shivakumar when they appeared before the court in connection with the case. The counsel for Gandhi moved an application requesting exemption of his client’s appearance, which was objected to by the complainant’s side with an argument that repeated exemptions were not to be permitted. The judge passed an order setting June 7 as the date for Rahul Gandhi’s personal appearance.
The state Congress said on Thursday, “Congress national leader Rahul Gandhi will attend the City Civil Court at 10.30 am tomorrow (Friday)”. Later the same day, he will meet and discuss with the newly elected Congress MPs from the state and defeated candidates at Bharat Jodo Bhavan on Queens Road. The party’s state unit also confirmed the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister, and KPCC President D K Shivakumar.
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