“There’s no need to be terrified”, said Tejashwi Yadav today, echoing Rahul Gandhi, who was found guilty of defamation for claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a criminal during a campaign trail speech in 2019.

The Gujarat court’s decision is the most recent legal action taken against opposition party figures and institutions viewed as critical of the Modi administration.

The Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, addressing the Centre, stated, “Modiiji is nervous and the wave of action against opposition leaders has been unprecedented”.

“We must fight with courage. This demonstrates Modiji’s nervousness; he is not confident about the 2024 general election. Nothing like this has ever happened in this country before. If they stay for a few more years, they will put an end to democracy and the constitution in this country”, claimed Mr. Yadav, whose Delhi residence was recently seized by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the land-for-jobs case.

“There’s no need to be afraid”, he emphasized once more.

The case against Rahul Gandhi arose from a remark made by the 52-year-old during the 2019 election campaign in which he wondered why “all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname”.

Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi in his first response following the judgement. He tweeted, “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, and non-violence is the means to get it- Mahatma Gandhi”, through his official Twitter handle.

“When the magistrate asked Gandhi what he had to say in his defence, the Congress leader said that he was fighting to expose corruption in the country”, the Congress leader’s lawyer, BM Mangukiya, told reporters outside the court.

“His remarks were not intended to offend or insult any community”, his lawyer noted.