Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian opposition, is scheduled to file an appeal on Monday against his criminal defamation conviction and prison term.
A Gujarat state court gave him a two-year prison term for remarks he made in 2019 during an electoral rally regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name.
The Congress leader was also later disqualified as a lawmaker.
Following the court sentence, the opposition leaders have accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a political vendetta. However, the BJP has denied this, saying that due judicial process was followed in the case.
According to news sources, Mr. Gandhi will attend the court hearing in Surat with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other prominent Congressmen. With banners that read "defend democracy," several Congress members have assembled outside the court to support Mr. Gandhi.
In order for Mr. Gandhi to run in the upcoming national elections in India, his sentence must be suspended or he must be declared innocent.
A Gujarat state court gave him a two-year prison term for remarks he made in 2019 during an electoral rally regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name.
The Congress leader was also later disqualified as a lawmaker.
Following the court sentence, the opposition leaders have accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a political vendetta. However, the BJP has denied this, saying that due judicial process was followed in the case.
According to news sources, Mr. Gandhi will attend the court hearing in Surat with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other prominent Congressmen. With banners that read "defend democracy," several Congress members have assembled outside the court to support Mr. Gandhi.
In order for Mr. Gandhi to run in the upcoming national elections in India, his sentence must be suspended or he must be declared innocent.
