Modi Surname case: Rahul Gandhi had earlier challenged his conviction before a court in Surat (File)
Soon after the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" comments at an election rally in 2019, the Congress scion said his duty remains the same - protecting the idea of India.
"Come what may, my duty remains the same. Protect the idea of India," Mr Gandhi tweeted - his first reaction after the top court overturned a lower court order, which led to his disqualification as an MP.
Addressing a press conference with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi said, "My path is clear. I have clarity about what I need to do. I am thankful for all the support."
Democracy has won, Mr Kharge said, adding, "He fought for truth... and walked over 4,000 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and met people from all walks of life. Their blessings got us this relief."
Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, Mr Kharge said, "It took them less than 24 hours to disqualify him. Now let's see how long it takes to reinstate him."
While hearing Rahul Gandhi's appeal against the conviction, the Supreme Court maintained that Mr Gandhi's remarks are not in good taste, especially for a person in public life, and that "the petitioner ought to have been more careful in making speeches".
"The ramifications of disqualification not just affect the right of the individual but also the electorate," it said.
Observing that the trial judge awarded the maximum sentence of two years in the case, the top court highlighted that it would not have attracted disqualification if the sentence was a day lesser.
At a rally in Karnataka's Kolar in 2019, Rahul Gandhi, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?". Mr Gandhi had earlier challenged his conviction before a sessions court in Surat, where the appeal is pending.