New Delhi: The Supreme Court today stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case over his Modi surname remark, restoring his status as an MP. Praising the ruling, Congress said that this was a "victory of love against hatred".
"It is a victory of love against hate. Satyamev Jayate - Jai Hind," Congress said in a tweet.
Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years' jail for comments he made in 2019 that a court ruled were insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and those sharing his last name.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench of Justices B R Gavai, P S Narasimha and Sanjay Kumar said no doubt that the utterances were not in good taste and that a person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches.
"No reason has been given by the trial judge for imposing maximum sentence, the order of conviction needs to be stayed pending final adjudication," the bench said.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "It's a happy day... I will write and speak to Lok Sabha Speaker today itself."