"Words deadlier than weapons," Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi's conviction

New Delhi [India], March 23 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should take the Surat Court judgement as a learning that "words are deadlier than weapons."
"Rahul Gandhi should accept that the harm or injury through words is deeper than those made by a sword. I would say we all should learn from this incident make sure we don't cross the line while speaking in public," Rajnath Singh told ANI.
BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court's order by reportedly noting that several judges hearing the matter were changed.
The former minister asked whether the party "want to keep even the judiciary in its pocket."
Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party will fight the judgement as per law. "He has been granted bail. We knew from the beginning because they kept changing judges. We believe in law, judiciary and we will fight against this as per law," Kharge told ANI.
Just after the verdict, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi and said that his religion was based on truth and non-violence. "Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it- Mahatma Gandhi," tweeted Rahul Gandhi.
Reacting to the Surat court order against Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said, "We keep saying our democracy is in danger as there is pressure on the judiciary, ECI, ED and they're all misused. All decisions are made under influence. Such comments are common. Rahul Gandhi is a courageous man and only he can compete with the NDA govt."
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in support of Rahul Gandhi saying he had always lived speaking the truth and would continue to speak the truth.
Congress MP of Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh in a tweet on Thursday said that Rahul Gandhi was being punished for speaking the truth and raising his voice against the dictator.
Surat District Court had sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years of imprisonment in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark. He was later granted bail by the court. Rahul Gandhi has been convicted under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The Surat District Court today pronounced the verdict in the case for Rahul Gandhi's alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.
Rahul Gandhi had made the remarks at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. (ANI)