Lucknow erupted with enthusiasm as Congress leaders and workers welcomed Rahul Gandhi upon his arrival on Friday. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha flew in from Delhi to appear before the Sultanpur MP/MLA court in a defamation case linked to his remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah.
Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh confirmed that Gandhi would head straight from Lucknow to the Sultanpur court to record his statement. ‘After the proceedings, he will return to Lucknow and then proceed back to Delhi,’ Singh stated, underscoring the tight schedule.
Ajay Rai, another prominent Congress figure, affirmed Gandhi’s personal attendance. ‘The date was fixed, and Rahul ji is appearing in person. A large number of party workers and supporters are converging to meet him,’ Rai added, highlighting the show of solidarity.
Aradhana Mishra Mona, a Congress MLA, dismissed the case as politically motivated. ‘Attempts are being made to entangle Rahul Gandhi in cases across the country out of sheer malice. Yet, we have full faith in the judiciary, and the entire party stands firmly behind him,’ she declared.
Party insiders emphasized that this is merely a legal formality, with full respect for the law. The case stems from a 2018 press conference in Bengaluru during Karnataka elections, where Gandhi allegedly made controversial comments about Shah. BJP leader Vijay Mishra filed the defamation suit in Sultanpur on August 4, 2018.
The court had granted a final opportunity on January 6, which Gandhi missed due to commitments in Kerala, as per his lawyer’s plea. This appearance marks a key step in the protracted legal battle, with Congress framing it as an assault on democratic voices.